First Time for Everything...

Had every intention of heading out today to go riding - maybe to the Catskills, maybe MA...who knows....life sometimes require you just get the hell out of the house and away from The Crazy.

Left the house around 11am and was immediately uncomfortable on the bike. Usually, I get on the bike and feel great right off the bat and enjoy myself immensely. This was the first time I wasn't even a little comfortable.

And to make it worse, it was all mental. I couldn't get into the "riding mind set". I was thinking about too many other things (basically, my life is going to hell in a handbasket) and wasn't focusing on the bike and my technique.

Rode around for a few miles and even tried to force myself into riding well by heading into a couple of turns hot. I could feel the wheels, front and back, really sliding around - and not in a good way.

I just happened to be passing by a high school and there were a bunch of kids doing a car wash. I love taking my bike to these things because the kids love washing the bike (even though they usually do a really crappy job) and I love supporting their efforts.

Another first time - I'd never worn out a tire like that before. The front still had some life to it but I wasn't about to ride around any more with a bad mental attitude *and* a bad rear tire.

So now I'm trapped in the house until I can get new rubber....