Wear Your Helmet

So I'm a biking-helmet-Nazi. I probably wouldn't be if it weren't for these blogs, but after reading about Rockstar's accident last year (and his FAQ about his accident), and one of Missy's rants or another of her rants ...there is just no reason not to wear one. I mean if you are going to spend $500 and upward on a bike and all the things that goes with it, what is $60 for a helmet?

So I'm on day 2 of Tri Training. I haven't ridden a bike since the tri last year (September). Getting ready, it took me awhile to find my helmet. It was on the laundry shelf...it had been on the dryer until I fixed the dryer in February. After getting ready, I went downstairs and checked my bike. It worked. Off to Silver Comet Trail I went. Now this path is flat (I think 56 miles). It is in the 'burbs, and lots of people walk, ride, run etc on it. So I wasn't shocked to see lots of kids on the path. What I was surprised to see what kids with no helmets. Some kids were the teens that are too cool and weren't with their parents, so what are you going to do, but hope they don't (or do if you want Darwinism to take place) get in an accident. I don't have issue with adults not wearing helmets...because I hope Darwinism will take its course, but kids aren't smart enough yet to make that call. The best was the guy with the Roswell Bike baseball cap on with 3 kids with no helmets. Maybe Roswell should help you get a helmet, DB.

Now why is it so important? Because this path is where a lot of people train for bike races, triathlons, etc. so you have cyclists going fast. And then you have kids all across the trail who don't know trail etiquette (or their right from their left), add in a dog or two on those stupid retractable leashes that never work, and it is really dangerous. I'm not saying that kids shouldn't ride the trail, but give them a fighting chance in case they fall or crash.

So the ride was fine. I got in 10 miles in an hour. Pretty much my pace from last year. Without D, it was kind of boring. No one to talk to. I had to put the bike in the car on the way back (instead of the rack). We never replaced the rack from the car crash last year, and I forgot my bike lock (rack works but with only one bike, you can't lock the bike wo an external lock). And I had to go downtown to go get a jalapeno (Kroger sells pasillas, scotch bonnets, anaheims, wax and poblanos, but not jalapenos or serranos) and some dog food--PetSmart and Whole Foods are next to each other.

In other news, Scuttlebutt has become more neurotic. He won't walk with D, he will only walk on one side of the house for me, he won't walk on the sidewalk or pinestraw. If we had a yard, this might be ok, but we don't. So we walk in the street, in circles, slowly getting to the public grass where he may or may not do business. Then repeat the street circles back to home. This started last week, but has gotten really bad since Monday. Like we can afford therapy for a dog!