They say that in a restaurant the pastry chef can make or break a diner’s experience. After all, it is dessert that the customer remembers. If the main course was outstanding, but dessert pathetic, the diner will think poorly of the restaurant. On the other hand, if dinner was mediocre, but dessert was to-die for, then the customer will remember the meal fondly.
What does that have to do with a cycling blog written by a bike? Well…..let me tell you that the first 45 miles today were…uh….err….less than optimal? No, that is too nice. Just downright uncomfortable, noisy, stop-and-go, never get up to speed, heavy traffic. On top of that, the route zig-zagged over parts unknown just to pick up these teensy little greenways…can we please, have quality of greenway over quantity, oh designer of the East Coast Greenway?!?!? Puh-lease?!?!?!
Suprisingly, just one flat…but a big blow out on the front wheel of my other brother Clyde. He managed to hold the tire together until one of the rare, nice places to change a tire on the route. Seriously. The route today was construction, trucking, parking lots, glass, no shoulders…but the blowout was at a factory with just the nicest green space to change the tire and the nicest employees who didn’t shoo us away but offered support instead.
Anyway…about dessert. So the ride was through Philadelphia to Wilmington. The last 8 miles were on a nice bike trail. Rolling hills, pleasant woods, creeks. Absolutely lovely, a cyclist’s dream ride. So…was today then a bad day because of the first 45 miles? Or a great ride because we had a wonderful dessert ride?
Travels With Edwina 