Rain Last Night

Last night I rode home in a downpour after hitting the bar after class. A woman was waiting under the entrance to The Black Forest. She was 40-ish, but looked like she was doing everything in her power to fight her inevitable aging. She was a bit drunk and seemed more interested in asking me about my bike and riding home in the rain than hanging out with her "date." Married people just don't go out on a rainy Wednesday night. She tried to convince him to give me a ride home, but it was obvious he had no interest. He genuinely seemed to look down on me, as if I were from a different social stratum. There was no point explaining that I chose to ride to class, that we have two very fun (dry) cars waiting at home in the garage. I was polite and I insisted that I'd be fine. She was concerned about my brakes in the wet. I explained that I really didn't need brakes with a fixed gear, but her eyes glazed over as I explained, and he grabbed her and dragged her off in the rain, running to his car.

I was no more than a half mile away when the rain nearly stopped. I was soaked. I didn't care. I have plenty of dry clothes at home. I don't know why this weekly seven mile ride home is one of my favorites. The city is so quite along this route, taking the Greenway to Bryant, down by the Rose Garden, and around Harriet to home in SW Minneapolis.

As I headed down a hill toward Dupont to catch the lake, my brake cable popped. I suddenly had no brake. Regardless of the brakeless/brake debate, it is handy to have brakeless skills when necessary. And thank god for the porta-potty near the Rose Garden!