The ride

They triggered an itch, bike photos posted by running friends on the web.

I already had this urge to go on a spin on my bikes again so I tidied them over during the weekend. Months of non-use have caused dust to gather on the frames, and the tires have gone flat. I spent half of Sunday morning cleaning the bikes, giving them a little buffing, and inflating the tires. Within the week, I told myself, I’m putting in a short ride.

And then I saw those bike photos.

At 3:00 in the afternoon, I put on my cycling shorts and shirt, my trusty old Shimano cycling shoes, and was pedalling off on an easy gear on my old Colnago Dream Lux.

A sunny afternoon is always good for a short spin around town, and that’s what I had out there today. There were rainclouds, but I didn’t expect a downpour soon. But it came. Just before I reached the end of the traffic island where I was supposed to make a turn, big heavy drops of cold rain pelted me and my bike.

I felt a familiar sense of excitement, something I haven’t felt for a while. I weaved my way through the vehicle traffic, carefully picking a line between puddles. I felt the cold wind brushing against my wet skin. I heard it buzz against my ear as I picked up speed, a sound that was always music to my ear. I might need an extra dose of vitamin C tonight, I thought, but that’s not much of a bother in exchange for the thrill I was getting from this ride. I was wearing a smile as I made my way back home.

The ride was short – 26 minutes over a little more than 7 kilometers. But it wasn’t about the distance today. It was about the feeling. I was a child at play again, riding my bike under the sun in the cold rain.

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