Pink Kona
05-15-2004, 03:44 PM
Stoked on the emerging biking season and the come back of a newly operated right knee, my friend Nina and I dared an outdoor adventure on the Olympic Peninsula last weekend. Friday night we prepared for a metric century and happily connected to the early bird ferry across Puget Sound.
The ride started in Port Townsend - where life slows down and the population hovers just slightly over 8,000. Ten minutes prior to our arrival, I discovered that little voice inside of my head that told me early "you're forgetting something" - was trying to warn me about my missing helmet.
Now a missing helmet would not deter us from riding - but it definitely put a damper on the situation. The ride itself is not big - about 100 participants in all - so when I approached the entry tent and inquired about helmets - I was of course given a blank stare. "Uh, well, uh. Maybe Billy Jo, or was that Bobby Sue? But wait, it's early. Hey Earl, can you sell these ladies one of those helmets?"
I should have known - "those helmets" can only mean a fashion fau paux. But a helmet of course is better than no helmet - and without one I would not ride.
Twenty well spent dollars later - I had a brand new shiny 4 inch tall gray helmet and adorned the new nickname "Queen Dorko." Luckily my smirking friend has a small Rodriguez bike with 19" wheels - gaining her the elevated title of my sidekick, "Princess Little Wheel."
Needless to say we giggled the whole ride - even when we made a 10 mile mistake on a wrong turn! People would pass us, try to help, then just pedal away while shaking their heads.
Stay tuned for additional misadventures from the Queendom of Captain Spandex.
The ride started in Port Townsend - where life slows down and the population hovers just slightly over 8,000. Ten minutes prior to our arrival, I discovered that little voice inside of my head that told me early "you're forgetting something" - was trying to warn me about my missing helmet.
Now a missing helmet would not deter us from riding - but it definitely put a damper on the situation. The ride itself is not big - about 100 participants in all - so when I approached the entry tent and inquired about helmets - I was of course given a blank stare. "Uh, well, uh. Maybe Billy Jo, or was that Bobby Sue? But wait, it's early. Hey Earl, can you sell these ladies one of those helmets?"
I should have known - "those helmets" can only mean a fashion fau paux. But a helmet of course is better than no helmet - and without one I would not ride.
Twenty well spent dollars later - I had a brand new shiny 4 inch tall gray helmet and adorned the new nickname "Queen Dorko." Luckily my smirking friend has a small Rodriguez bike with 19" wheels - gaining her the elevated title of my sidekick, "Princess Little Wheel."
Needless to say we giggled the whole ride - even when we made a 10 mile mistake on a wrong turn! People would pass us, try to help, then just pedal away while shaking their heads.
Stay tuned for additional misadventures from the Queendom of Captain Spandex.