Fixed Gear

Today’s ride was a blessedly short 44 miles. Not because I needed a rest but for a variety of other reasons that became obvious within the first five minutes of my ride. I knew it was going to be a quick ride today so I lingered around the hotel as long as I could this morning. I couldn’t check into tonight’s hotel until 3 so there was no point in leaving early just to sit around and wait. Plus, it gave opportunity for the rain to stop. The rain had other ideas. It was raining when I started and continued to rain without pause until I got to my hotel in Ocean City. No more than a half mile into the day’s ride, I tried changing gears. Nothing. I tried again. Nothing. My bike has 11 gears. The mechanism that controls the shifting is electronic. Apparently it had not been charged, meaning that I had exactly one gear to choose from. Two things worked in my favor. Today was the flattest, shortest ride, with just over 400’ of elevation gain and frankly I couldn’t tell you where that was. Also, the gear I was stuck in, 9th, was a good place to be +/- 1 either way. If I had been stuck in 1st or 2nd, I’d probably still be out there pedaling away, legs spinning as fast as they can and bike going nowhere.

I was looking forward to seeing the beach today. After riding about 110 miles total between yesterday and today on this fairly narrow strip of land between the ocean and the bay, I hadn’t seen water yet. Turns out I still haven’t. I’m in Ocean City, Maryland a block from the ocean. When it finally stopped raining I walked to the boardwalk and looked out. I could see one wave breaking on the beach and nothing else because the fog was so thick. Maybe tomorrow.

I did have a very entertaining lunch, however, at the Assateague Bar & Grill In West Ocean City. I didn’t know when I slogged in, but it’s very much a local hangout. It was Saturday at 1:00 but I guess if you’re hardcore, you don’t care what time it is. The food was very mediocre but the entertainment was good. There was Ann, the bartender with the high-functioning autistic 8th grade son showing me pictures of him at his dance last night and later disclosing that she loves tattoos but hers were “hidden”. There was Mike the electrician who had put in a solid 5 hour day and then came to the bar to play Keno (unsuccessfully) and drink his Natural Lights. He had also ordered some wings to go, which were brought to him just as I was sitting down. An hour later, the to-go bag was right where it had been set. I’m sure those wings were delicious by the time he got to them, if he ever did. There were a couple of other guys drinking shots and playing Keno (unsuccessfully), including one that ran out of money and couldn’t pay his tab. And then there was Tina. Oh my. Tina has a granddaughter that went to prom last night. That could make Tina anywhere from 35 to 65, but she sounded like she was 80. Tina was drinking Fireball shots. She used to live in Orlando and would fly to New Orleans for $49 each way, where her coke dealer would pick her up and they would go party in the French Quarter. Tina has a relative in New York. Somewhere in the Adirondacks. I should look her up on Facebook and stop by. Seriously. She didn’t know where in the Adirondacks. She also has a relative in Ohio. On a lake. I should stop by there too. She gave me their names. If anyone is going to be in Ohio or New York and wants to stop in, I can send the names along. Tina has been to California and once drove from Texas to Florida by herself. I got all this in an hour. I was torn. I wanted to get out of there, but it was only 2:00 and I couldn’t check in until 3 and the hotel was only 4 miles away. So I stayed and she just kept talking.

Sadly, this sign has no visible impact

The “view“ of the Atlantic Ocean