Life after the double century has become easier and harder.  Easier because I don’t have to schedule so many (any!) training rides, freeing up time for other pursuits. Harder because several big changes have occurred in the past few weeks and WILL occur in the next few weeks.  Despite that inconvenient truth, I still want to get out and enjoy the outdoors when I can and yesterday, I managed to join a small group for a short scramble in Red Rock Canyon.  The weather was lovely and it felt really good to use my whole body during the scramble (and by “scramble,” I mean climbing over rocks and squeezing through narrow slots using both hands and feet.  I used the term “scramble” once before to a friend who had never heard of that term and she was immediately concerned after hearing it because she imagined “scramble” as in “scrambled eggs” as in “painful and unfortunate early demise”).

Anyways, when we were driving back to the original meeting spot, two of the people in my vehicle were talking about how it was so funny to see road cyclists all decked out in attire that matched their bikes.  Wasn’t that weird?  How much money do they spend on spandex anyway?  And road cycling is SO DANGEROUS.  Why would anyone want to do that?  (Granted, that was a question I asked myself not that long ago, but I digress.)  After a few minutes of hearing my hiking friends make fun of cyclists, I knew I had to say something because like it or not, I was (am!) a cyclist and it was up to me at that point to defend cyclists everywhere (especially the fashion-conscious ones).

Hiker 1: “Yeah, it’s crazy to see them all out there on the road in their matching spandex and coordinating outfits!”

Hiker 2: “I couldn’t imagine doing that!  Or wearing that!  Too much bother.”

Me: “Uh, dude, MY cycling clothes totally coordinate with my bike.”

*pause*

I went on to say that it was a normal practice.  Long road rides can be difficult.  May as well LOOK good while suffering all those miles on the bike.  Also, I said to my hiking pals, while road cycling is dangerous, it is the cyclist’s responsibility to be as visible and aware as possible.  Of course, motorists should watch out for cyclists (and pedestrians) and be courteous enough to give cyclists a bit of extra room on the road when it is possible to do so.  Furthermore, the scrambling that we  had just enjoyed, I said, also holds inherent dangers, such as rock falling onto heads/bodies and losing one’s balance on a ledge and plummeting many feet to the canyon floor (and resulting in scrambling oneself like scrambled eggs).

I just thought it was funny that I was identifying with THE OTHER SIDE (i.e., cycling!).  Will wonders never cease?