Where There's Thunder...
Definitely a need for coffee this morning.
It's June 2nd.
Waning Gibbous transiting into Capricorn.
I pulled the seven of wands.
Definitely a need for coffee this morning.
I don't think I'm necessarily ready to write yet.
But I do have some thoughts.
The strawberry milkshake moment from yesterday lingers with me.
The subconscious.
The synchronicities.
Interstellar. Inception.
Future reflections.
Observing patterns.
I went out for my bike ride this morning.
Walking to the elevator, I commented to myself how my bike was embarrassingly filthy.
For the past two or three weeks it'd been sunny and clear all throughout the day with scattered thunderstorms in the evening as it does in Austin during the spring and I had gotten tired of cleaning my bike, just to go out in the morning and come across an unavoidable puddle.
The coffee I drank this morning didn't really do too much for me and I could feel the fatigue catching up to me as I clipped in, but committed to the ride anyway.
Figured I would just take it easy and debated the idea of taking a rest day tomorrow as I made my way out of the city and into the hills.
"Why does my idea of taking it easy involve hills?"
Eventually my legs warmed up, the grog wore off and I started feeling good. Still taking everything a little bit slower in a half-hearted attempt to take it easy.
When you ride bikes enough, you begin to understand that the bike gods have a rule of threes.
They don't really whisper, but you will be punished for your ignorance.
In the midst of a descent, a white Tesla pulls out in front of me.
Expected.
It's always a Tesla.
I slow down and proceed to sit on their bumper with nowhere to go.
There's no car in front of them, but it makes no sense for me to pass them because — it's always a Tesla and I'll have to climb after we traverse the blind corner we're going around…
"What the fuck are you doing?"
I'm getting angry.
They're not doing a reasonable speed, and I'm stuck behind them in a corner where traffic will come around much quicker than the speed they're limiting me and themselves to. I just don't happen to be in an aluminum bubble with airbags.
I see them getting frustrated in their rearview mirror.
Frustrated at the bicycle that they cut off and put in the position of having to tailgate them.
And rather than — speeding up —
They brake check me and lay on the horn.
"You've got to be the stupidest motherfucker.
There's no one in front of you.
I'm on a fucking bike."
We begin the ascent and they slowly pull away from me and I just sit there and ponder… how… that person survives on a daily basis.
How threatened they must feel in the world at all times…
But also… how small brained they are to have created a problem for themselves that didn't need to exist in any form.
The disruption of my energy.
450 ft of elevation later, I find myself still ruminating.
"I really just gotta get over this… fucking my whole vibe up…"
I depart my hill circuit and see one of the Tuesday morning cycling groups rolling down the boulevard.
I figure it's worth channeling my frustration into reeling them in and running away.
They're a little split up and I manage to get past their ride leaders and slip into the bike lane ahead of them just as the bike lane splits.
I keep my momentum and head back into the city. I'm satisfied.
Of course no one knows it was a race, but I know I worked and if anyone would have taken the bait, I would have worked harder.
I get to the last stoplight before I enter my neighborhood. The light's red, great time to work on my track stand.
The light goes green and as I move forward into the intersection...
The same white Tesla from the descent rolls through the light making a right on red and cuts me off again.
"I know you're fucking lying. What are the chances?"
From one side of town… to the complete opposite.
I proceed on and watch them California roll every stop sign…
Eventually turning right and disappearing…
Naturally my frustration returns.
The morning goes on…
My daughters propose a post-lunch ride around the block.
I abide, I needed to adjust the seats on their bikes as they'd grown and this seems like a good time for a test ride.
We get the seats adjusted and as I roll my bike around to head out, I hear the front brake grinding along…
I take a look down and see that my thru-axle is backed out significantly…
"Wow. That would have been a very bad day."
I think back to that pestering white Tesla.
Taking it easy in the hills.
I get my bike squared away… we enjoy a peaceful two laps around the block. I decide that with no storms in the forecast, I'll get my bike cleaned up after dinner.
With a bike wheel in hand, I look to the sky from our balcony…
There'd been no clouds in the sky all day.
Now I'm watching the blue fade to grey…
The sun filters through the clouds as I hear a roll of thunder…
As I lube my chain, it begins to downpour and the dark sky is lit in momentary flashes of lightning.
"Fine. I'll take the rest day."