The Race is On

October 2016

Southern California morning traffic, hmmm. I had this brilliant idea I’ll race my husband to his place of employment. Who will win?

The family van and the freeway vs me pedaling my little solar power assist, ELF/bike named Shelby and side streets. The race will cover approximately 8+ miles during the morning rush hour.

Well, normally his commute on the freeway is slow. Traffic, accidents, and metered backed up on the ramp. He works on a college campus more traffic and very little parking. I really thought I’d win and would have on a normal day. But here’s what happened.

Out of the driveway we go. At the first signal light he zips thru the yellow. I cuss at him and wait it out. For 2 miles he’s within my sight. I’m thinking for sure I’ll pass him at the metered freeway ramp entrance. Are you kidding me there are No Cars backed up on the ramp and now I have a huge 2 mile hill to climb.

Thinking, I can’t lose the race, I put the pedal to the metal. Full throttle and pedaling. It’s chilly out but I’m not noticing it. The sweat is pouring off.

I get to the top of the hill and I have a view of the entire freeway for miles. What no traffic. Is there a zombie apocalypse and everyone left town? Ugh! I’m not quitting.

Now to go down the hill. I’m not comfortable going that fast down the hill and will probably never do that again. Are you kidding me a red light. I hit every red light there was. Omg the potholes!

Shelby (named after the Ford Mustang) and I are not heavy enough to trigger the sensors in the street for the signals. So, I slow to let the car go first. Now I’ve got to go straight over the multi sets of train tracks and bad asphalt. I’ll be writing the city council about that.

The home stretch, 3 miles of straight nice road. Come on college kids pedal faster you’re hogging the bike lane. You have classes in a few minutes move it. Ugh.

I hear my phone go off in my backpack, it’s a text message. Don’t tell me he’s there. I keep going. Get out of my way! I move out of the bike lane, into the tiny bit of traffic and pass all of them. Yes, yes, I see the building, oh dang there he is waiting for me.

The first words out of his mouth, “that was the easiest commute I’ve had in months”. Figures

But even still he only made it there 10 minutes before me. I could have won had it not been for a red light and slow college students. Lol

Total time for me 34 minutes, not bad at all.

Now it’s time to chill and get a drink at the McDonalds before the ride home. So, I’m just sitting there, hot, sweaty and I have a major case of helmet head when here comes my husband’s coworkers for their morning cup of coffee. They search me out, they know I’m there, they saw the Elf. They all look so nice and well, I don’t. But they are impressed that I was only 10 minutes behind the cars time.

The ride home even with it being uphill the entire way was only 32 minutes. All green lights and no slow pedaling college students.

As I said, I really put the pedal to the metal and I’m thankful I borrowed the battery out of the other Elf we own for a spare today. I would have never made it up the killer hill without it.

The only thing I can say is to quote the Cop at the red light, “enjoy your work out”! Yes I burned a lot of Calories today!👍🏼

Yes, those are bikes