Tuesday in NY

I spent a bunch of time reading A Significant Other last night, the story of Victor Hugo Pena in the role of a domestique for Lance in 2003. The story is interesting so far, but the writer spends a lot of time interjecting with things he wants to say rather than telling the story. I'll keep plugging away at the book.

I had a hard time sleeping, and stayed up rather late. When morning rolled around I dragged myself out of bed for a bagel, coffee, and a juice.

After doing about 90 mins or work on the computer, it was time to roll. People in the Waldorf aren't bike haters. They ask where I'm going, is that my bike or a rental, etc. Employees hold doors open and say "have fun". It's nice not to be nagged.

Sun was shining and it was super nice out. Did the regular "dodge the traffic" on 49th over to the Hudson River. Along the Hudson, by the city docks, moving vans were being unloaded for what looked like a film shoot to me. I came around a corner and there's two guys, one pushing a tall couch on wheels, and the other with a tall desk on wheels. I came up pretty fast and slammed on the brakes. Instead of saying "slow down buddy" or the typical Calgary response, guy says "we're just setting up the obstacle course here to keep you on your toes". I had some coke flavoured Cliff Blocks before I left, which have caffeine and are making me feel good.

I pedal north and the sun feels warm on my back. My legs feel a lot better than yesterday, the sushi dinner worked it's magic. I do feel tired inside, but for now the Watts are coming easy. I know I'll peter out part way into the ride as I've pushed the last two days, but I want a good workout. I figure I'll try to find external motivation. I climb up over the GW bridge, and again I'm amazed with this thing. 2 decks of 8 lanes bumper to bumper. Like twice the Deerfoot suspended 20 stories above the river.

As I near the New Jersey side, a guy rockets past me on the sidewalk. I'm riding slow on the bridge, for me the time to pick it up is on the open road. He's riding a nice Isaac carbon bike with an SRM. He's got full team kit on from a local shop or team and is around my age, likely minus a year or two. I speed up and tail him until the bike lane gets wide enough to double.

Erik: "Nice bike"

Dude: "Yeah."

Ok, that's a little shorter than I expected. We're going up a little incline, and I sense dude wants to drop me to ride alone, as we're up to 450W.

Erik: "It's great riding weather, what do you do for work that let's you get out on a Tuesday afternoon?"

Dude: "I just leave."

Ok, I can respect that. Just leaves. Not much of a conversationalist.

Erik: "How far are you planning on going?"

Dude: "State line."

So I'm realizing that we aren't going to ride in company and have a nice little cycling chat. I don't actually remember exactly where the state line falls where it's back into NY. What I do know is my legs feel good, the coke flavoured Cliff Blocks had a lot of uppers in them, and I was looking for some motivation to get a good workout in, despite being tired. I think the trinity just formed. Last try on the chat...

Erik: "What kind of pace you doing today, are you watching your Watts?"

Dude: "Time trial practice to the state line."

Freeze frame... rewind 5 seconds. Did I see something hit the pavement back there? Yup, I think the gauntlet was thrown down ; )

I say "ok" and leave it at that. I take a swig of water, shift up a gear, and pick up the pace. Dude winds it up too. We crest a false flat so I shift up again and slowly start winding that gear up. Dude does the same. Now it's obvious that we've got a little game going here, cause there's no mistaking this for some casual riding. We're "engaged".

A modest downhill starts, and I'm not letting the Watts drop at all. He ducks in behind and I've decided I've got enough in me to hold this for a while. We're riding north, so I can see the shadow dude casts. I can also hear the breathing. I promise myself I'm not going to look back. We're doing rollers, and I'm doing what I've been doing for the last 2 days - pushing hard on the way up, and hoping I recover on the backside. After what seems like an awfully long time, I'm alone. I try to keep the pace up until Piermont, then I slow down and roll right through. I pass Nyack as well and go through north Nyack, where the realtor of choice is no longer Re/Max but instead Sotheby's. I snap a few shots of houses, mostly the ones with empty lawns as those are the ones you can actually see - but the defining charicteristic is that they're on lots that are probably close to 10 acres, have rock or iron fences, and the houses are probably 8,000 sq. ft.

I turn around at the end of the road, a state park on the shores of the Hudson. Nice spot with a mountain right behind. As I make my way back a lady passes me in a Porsche with a big black dog hanging his head out the back. I'm feeling tired and stop in for a mocha and a snack, but it doesn't do much to give me energy, I'm spent. My goal was to drive myself to feeling spent, and now I'm here, in perfect time to sit through three days of conference and shift gears to client entertainment, 5 course meals, and wine budgets.

I plod home slowly in the eveing sun, knowing I'll just make it back in time before the sun sets. The hills I was charging for the last few days I can only ride at 75% of the prior intensity and even that feels like a challenge.

The wind is blowing on the GW bridge, and is a direct headwind as I ride south on the Hudson River park paths. I don't care as the slower I go means the longer I'll be out before showering and packing up my bike.

Tonight I'm off to replace some spent calories at Insiem, an undoubtedly expensive Italian place on Broadway. I'd be just as happy with cheap carbs and another day in the wind, but I know a few days of rest will do the legs and body good.