Every Summer for over 40 years, the Sprockets select a location, ride to said location, spend the weekend carousing, eating, listening & playing live music, beach combing, and anything that sounds like a good idea at the time that will end up haunting us to our graves. The rides range from 70 – 100 miles each way, leaving Thursday or Friday and returning on Sunday or Monday. When I was a newcomer to the group, having ridden four of the last five trips. Each year I learn something new about my fellow Sprockets, about cycling, and about myself. Our 2015 ride to South Hampton was no different.
What made this trip different from others was the number of flats, and other bicycle mechanical malfunctions experienced – Zero! We did manage to hit traffic though. Rush hour in South Hampton is brutal. For a stretch, we had to walk our bikes on the median as cars and truck yielded no room for us. Words were exchanged.
On a much quieter portion of the ride, we decided to stop for lunch at this beachfront crab shack. We’d been riding for several hours by then. I decided to go with the lobster roll and clam chowder. This turned out to be an unfortunate choice. We only had 20 miles to go by then but that’s far enough for rich milk based products to twist the digestive system into knots Houdini wouldn’t attempt. For the next day and a half, I stayed “close to home.”
During this colonoscopy prep simulation, I did have time to study for a Job interview I managed to schedule the next afternoon. Normally we pride ourselves in reaching stupid at every turn of our weekend. It’s the foundation of Sprocket Logic. However, my brothers in pedals took the time to setup a mock interview. Semi-nauseated, I managed to get through a 2 hour phone interview. Soon after the clam chowder managed to get through me. Time for medication – I mean Celebration. I got the job!
Looking back at the ride, I learned some important universal life lessons. I discovered garlic does not go with everything but Cheetos do, Sprockets have mad job-coaching skills, and Clam Chowder will never be considered a performance-enhancing substance.