GRR-attitude

Last Wednesday I got my wheel stuck in the tracks on Market Street. Thankfully, I didn't break anything, I didn't hit my head and there were no cars involved.

I got 5 stitches on my knee and I get them out on Monday.

During my time at home, I was able to keep tabs on the riders doing the Gold Rush Randonée or GRR, a 1200k grand randonnée put on by the Davis Bike Club. A couple of Randonneurs that I have met were riding, and it was really cool to cheer them on from my couch and watch their progress on the site. It was also cool to see the SF Randonneurs' Google Group cheerlead their progress from David to the Oregon border and back.

The attitude that it takes to commit to and complete a brevet is fascinating. Along with chaintools, spare tires and zip ties, one needs tenacity, the ability to roll with punches, and a mental list of the criteria for when to quit. Oh and one needs a solid foundation and speed, which requires time devoted to training.

I feel like I'm just on the verge of understanding. I wanted to come out of ALC with no mental hurdles around what is possible on the bike. I find Randonneuring much more meditative and sometimes lonely than ALC.

We'll see what happens when I get my stitches out. I do miss the landscape.

Oh and this happened:

Roma Mafia at Dr Sketchy's.