That was Saturn

On 23 February I wrote that I headed on my bike down dangerous Market Street to the Ferry Building and had some tacos.  I went out front and there were two people waiting for Butter Lap. They were probably on a date but maybe they were just very good friends. They seemed really serious about what they were doing.  As people arrived I told everyone my Lone Lapper story - when, in late December, I had gone on the ride literally alone. No one else came on that ride.

I guy gave me a beer and as other people started showing up I decided to leave before the serious couple got moving. I rode by myself to Fort Mason, taking Van Ness to avoid construction.  There was no one waiting when I arrived at the spot but as the group arrived I saw some regular riders. It was really cold. I found myself explaining the temperature.

I pointed out a star in the sky and asked if that was Saturn. There were a bunch of people that suggested I check a specific cosmological app. Talking to them I met a video editor and a marketing guy. We had to make room for commuters that kept passing through. The same serious couple started off first and we all followed them. The guys passed me. The marketing guy was really close and at the hill going up to Pacific overlook everyone slow down.

At first I thought everyone would pass me but as we headed towards the top near the Visitor Center only one person came near me. I could hear his music close behind me.

I tried to take a picture of the bridge but it was really hard to pedal and not drop my phone. The new ramp on the far side of the Golden Gate Bridge was a novel deviation from our previous laps. However, I had to let Juergen one of the regulars me because I didn't know the way.  He wanted us to leave him alone so I ended up at Pacific Overlook with the marketing guy. I was sad to be first because I had put so much energy into the climb.

As everyone arrived I thanked the guy that gave me a beer and hung out with new people. One guy was really cold. We all noted that the temperature was indeed low. I was thankful that I was warm from the ride.  The regulars were were fun to hang out with.

The serious couple took off at that point so I followed them. As I descended on my way to Lincoln Park I noted that some of the lights were out. I cursed myself for not having a good light on my bike.  I was at the head of the pack but at 25th the exertion became too much and I let everyone pass me. An experienced rider passed me around Del Mar Boulevard. A moment later another one also passed me.

I slowed down as I was climbing. However, only one other person passed me. I even saw some guy sitting on a bench overlooking of the bridge. He had a tripod and camera but was only just slightly visible in the dim light. I tried to make conversation with him.

At the top I circled and drink my last beer with the regulars.  One of them told me about her planned trip with six or seven people to Half-Moon bay. She told me about the Devil’s Slide versus the Planet of the Apes route. We also discussed poison oak immunity.

The group started to disperse once the serious couple had decided to go. That was when I made the decision to go to mom and dad. I told everyone that I would see them at Benders (I lied) and then went to Geary.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.