okay so this is funny

[solarbird]

So I'm biking back from MurkSouth (trip there in 2,5/6 - about half in 2,6; trip back in 2,6/5, most of it in 2,6!) and I'm tearing down Ravenna and onto Burke-Gilman, and zum! up to 25th but don't make it before the light changes and have to wait. As soon as it does, I take off up the trail - I like to get a good head of steam going on that long uphill to Sand Point - and then slow down to something more normal.

And this guy I just tears by me on the left. I dunno how old he is, I think in his 40s, but I'm only guessing. Anyway he just piles by me, like I'm standing still - but what's odd about it is that he's got this weird look on his face. He kind of glares at me, and he doesn't signal before passing.

Then I notice that once he's a decent bit ahead of me, he slows down. A lot. And I think, "huh, that's odd, I wonder what's up with him?" I keep my pace... but notice that I seem to be catching up, very slowly. I'm not particularly trying to catch up, but... I am.

And predictably, after a few minutes, I pass him, only I do it the right way, with "on your left" and all that.

About a minute and a half later, he blows by me again, no signal, no words, not even a glare this time, and zips off ahead of me again... and once he's got a decent lead... slows... back... down.

At this point, I'm thinking, "...what is this guy's problem?" (And also, "does he drive like this?") But, as we're hitting the downhill 3/4 of the trip, I shift into 6th, crank up to my normal pedal pacing, and just wait to see what happens.

This time, when I pass him, I'm having too hard a time not giggling to signal. I just kind of wander by.

Five minutes later, he blows by me again. Wash, rinse, repeat.

After the fourth time I pass him back, he seems to be getting kind of winded. I haven't stepped up my pace or tried to race him at any point here. In fact, I've kind of been practicing root-avoidance jumps. (I've got a dual use bike, I should use the "mountain" part occasionally, or at least know how to, right?) We hit Lake Forest Park and I think, "Okay, I'm going to stay way over on the right to make sure he has plenty of room to blow by me again, 'cause he's gonna." The trail is kind of narrow in LFP, too, so I don't want to cause an accident.

Except he doesn't. Sort of.

He tries, mind you. At least four times that I noticed. (I got real familiar with the chain noise on his bike.) A couple of times he's stopped by oncoming riders or joggers. Twice, he makes his run and just...

...can't. Or, at least, doesn't.

Hee.

Again, and I'm being totally honest here: at no point did I race him. I'm not sure, but I think he lost a race against somebody who wasn't racing.

To be honest, I'm still not entirely sure what was happening, but when I stopped to wait for the crosswalk at the shops - that's where I go to head uphill towards my house...

...then, he manages to blow by me.

While I'm standing still.

Miles today: 16
Miles out of Hobbiton: 133.9. Saw small people with furry feet and ponies. V. cute - go them! Almost to Bree. Looking forward to it, I could use some cheese.
Miles to Rivendell: 324.1

Comments

[flashfire.livejournal.com]

That's weird. If he's not totally wacko the only thing I can think of is that he was trying to use you as 'competition' as if he was training for a bike race, like practicing on catching up to someone a few times.

But...he just sounds totally wacko.

[solarbird]

That kinda makes sense. Maybe that was it. But I still don't understand the glare.

Maybe he's just a big freak. ^_^

[flashfire.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I mean..I'd have at least said, "Hey, can I pace you a bit?" or something like that.

[janne.livejournal.com]

That sounds like one of my classmates back in the local equivalent of high school, who kept staring at me in a seemingly furious way and shoving past me in halls and doorways whenever he had a chance. I think in hindsight he was actually checking me out and just being too inept to think of any other way to achieve physical proximity. Maybe weirdo biker was failing to work up the courage to talk to you :)

[banner.livejournal.com]

I get this all the time on my sport bike. People in cars (and crap ones too!) always trying to race me and stuff, then they get ahead of me and slow down! Come -on- my bike does 187mph STOCK, the only cars that are faster than it cost over 100,000 dollars! Why am I going to race you? It's a waste of my time cause it's a forgone conclusion, that I will win, everytime!
It's like those folks who pull into the fast lane and then block traffic, I think they have a problem with their dick size...