Honking on the Atlantic Beach Bridge

On some weekday mornings, I get up early and ride out to Lido Beach or Point Lookout. While the ride is almost perfectly flat (my Garmin measured the cumulative ascent at about 75 feet round trip), you are almost certain to run into a stiff wind one direction or the other.

The ride also requires crossing the Atlantic Beach Bridge (ABB). And herein lies the rub.

One side of the ABB has a running/walking path. Bike riding is not permitted on that path; instead one is supposed to dismount and walk his or her bike across the bridge. Failure so to do can result in a fine of 250 smackers, U.S.

Many people misinterpret the sign that forbids riding across the path. The sign DOES NOT PROHIBIT BIKE RIDING ACROSS THE BRIDGE ON THE ROAD PROPER!! Like on every other street or road (other than highways), bike riding is permitted so long as you follow the rules of the road.

Unfortunately, many's the time that I find myself riding over the ABB back into the Five Towns when drivers give me dirty looks, or worse, loudly honk their horns from behind, not because I'm in their way (there are three lanes and at 7 a.m. there is never much traffic), but because they think I'm violating the law and have appointed themselves auxiliary policemen. This is very stupid because honking like that can startle a rider which can really be dangerous, particularly when the rider is riding across the steel grating of a draw bridge. on two very thin wheels.

This happened to me again this morning. A woman both honked at me and gave me a dirty look. And then, at the toll booths below, she honked me again because I was going straight (as was my right) from the right toll booth, when she wanted to veer into the turn-off which was located on my right. I gave her the clentched-fist-high-in-the-air treatment.
-Such are the trials and tribulations of a bike rider who just wants to be left alone.

Wind

I set my alarm for 4:50 a.m. on Sunday. I knew it would be cold and windy but I still wanted to ride. After morning services I was in my car by 6:15 and on my bike at 7:05.

The cold doesn't bother me because I have the right clothes. But the wind! That's another story. They seemed to becoming out of the southeast and were gusting to as much as 40 mph. I felt as though I was riding with a flat for much of the ride and was out of my seat much more than usual. Boy, was I slow. (Except for the occasional flat where I had the wind at my back; it felt like I had a motor for those few stretches).

At the 1:50 mark, I decided that I had had enough fun for the day and decided to cut my ride short. Rather than going on my normal route, I took a shortcut back. I ended up doing only 34 miles rather than the 38 I had planned. Unfortunately, because of the wind, it took me just about the same amount of time.

One good thing about a ride like that. The hot shower that follows really hits the spot.

Weather Permitting

I am getting increasingly frustrated with the weatherman.

Sunday is the only day of the week I get to do long rides. Two weeks ago I was scheduled to do a metric century on the North Shore of Long Island and ditched because it was pouring. Last Sunday, I did get in a 40 mile ride (that's all I had time for) but the weather was very weird. When I started it was drizzling, then it was pretty cool, then humid, then sunny. By the time I was done I was completely soaked through my jacket (which I put on at the last minute because of the rain).

The forecast for this Sunday, after a week of spectacular weather, is for a high in the low 60s (which means it will be 45 when I get on my bike at 6:45 a.m.)

The older I get, the less tolerant I am of cold weather. August can come soon enough.

A Lovely Night at Fenway Pahk