Since I wanted to avoid bike paths as much as possible, I just went where the road took me. And it took me into areas I had not been in before. It did take me to a new to me bike path as well, which I followed to the very end. Got off to follow some bikers and rode the road for awhile and marveled at the insane traffic. The bikers stopped to drink and I was able to ask where the road was going. Inge? Nope, better not go there today, but it's nice to know where the road went.
I turned around and sort of followed my same way back, but stayed more on the road than the bike path, which was far too busy for my comfort. I wasn't entirely sure where I was, so when I came to the place where I needed to carry my bike up a ramp to get on a bridge that would take me to one of my normal bike path rides, I was pretty ecstatic. I did get off the path at Dadaocheng Wharf, and after stopping at a convenience market for a much-needed snack, proceeded to take the roads home.
I complain about the traffic a lot here, but today was one of the worst days ever. Yes, I had a few too close scooters and buses, but I made it home unscathed, and thanked God for the safe trip. I had one really hairy event when I was heading up a bridge in one scooter lane, which merged with another scooter lane, and as I was looking for traffic, my front tire got caught in a gap in a metal plate in the road. Since I didn't over-react and steered in the direction of my skid (think ice) I made it out of the situation easily. And luckily, there were no scooters close to me as I was swerving.
I watched these clouds for a long while before I finally found a halfway decent spot to take a photo.
I needed to walk my bike to the convenience mart because the traffic was so heavy and thought these Chinese mushrooms and other energy enhancers looked pretty cool.
4 comments:
You sure have an interesting place to ride! I went with two other guys on a ride Saturday morning which included about 6 blocks on 41st St. It is still the busiest road in SD, and I was very nervous and glad to get off of there, but there are so many businesses there are no service roads. Hated it.
Sorry to hear you had to bail. But you know, if your desire to complete the ride wains, then why push it. There will be a next time, and soon, you'll be ride'n here in the states! :)
I admire you for even riding under those conditions! You'll be doing another metric soon enough!
Mr. Mayor, Bob, and Sue...sometimes I laugh at the idiocy here, sometimes I embrace it, while other times I rant and lose my cool. It is, indeed, an interesting and insane place. Bob, you are absolutely right in saying why push it? I actually felt good about bailing. I'm going to try for another metric on Sunday, weather permitting.
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