The Lost Cyclist

Hello Again!

So I know I already posted today but since that was about my first day of riding, this is going to count for the Day 2 post...

Today's ride was ... Interesting. Day 2 of any exercise routine for me is usually pretty good. I am in a good mood because I usually had a good day the day before and I'm feeling like I can do anything if I put my mind to it. I mapped out the ride the night before, looking at it for long enough that I felt comfortable with the seemingly simple directions. I look at it again this morning and confirm that I am completely confident in my abilities to find the three streets I need to turn on for the entirety of the ride.

Everything runs smoothly from the moment I wake up. I avoid hitting the snooze button, excited to get going and get my ride started. I drink a tall glass of water, down two of my Cliff energy blocks, chewy and sweet but filling, and get all of my gear on in record time. Looking at the clock it's only been 15min so I brush teeth, check tire pressure, put my shoes, leg warmers, arm warmers, helmet on and sit by the door. 5min to leaving time... I can't wait any more so I leave a few minutes early.

Here's where things start to get interesting. As is usually the case with new routes, I felt much more confident of my ability to find the roads on the map than I do while actually riding. And as I expect, I get to the point where I am no longer familiar with the roads and, thinking I've passed my turn, double back and turn on a different road, hoping to cross the road I was looking for. This doesn't happen.

Instead of my "natural directional intuition" leading me to my preferred route, it leads me to one man taking out his garbage, two women on a walk, and one cyclist at a red light, all of whom tell me I am going the wrong way.

Aside from getting lost three times, I did get to revisit some places in Cincinnati where I may have gotten lost before... and realize the importance of being confident in the route I am going to take and knowing the roads near my turns.

Overall, it was still a great ride. I met some very nice and helpful people, who pointed me in the right direction continuously only to have me confuse their directions and get lost again =P And, it extended my route so I got a great workout!

Moral of the story is, know your route and don't be afraid to ask for help if you get lost. People are usually understanding and everyone can use a laugh at the expense of a lost and confused cyclist =P

~ "Getting lost is just another way of saying 'going exploring'" -Justina Chen Headley