July 24, 2008handbook

I do enjoy the camaraderie of riding in a group as much as the next guy, but it seems to me that many ‘cyclists’ are pretty thin-skinned. out on my ride today at the top of basically the only climb on the ride I was behind two other riders. At the crest of the hill the rider in front of me shifted down to start the descent. During the shift our wheels overlapped as the transition from climbing to rolling was not as smooth as it could have been. I said out loud, ‘don’t ease up just keep going.’ The rider that was in front of me took offense, although none was intended. He proceeded question me about what I said, even though he heard it the first time, then he proceeded to lecture me on how long he had been riding, as if that was germane to the occasion. I apologized and said that no offence was meant, then told him to drop it. I guess either he or I or maybe even both of us might have been having a bad day. There was just no reason to get bent out of shape about it.