Rainfall Daydream

Another Friday at my old familiar desk. It has been quite cluttered for the last month or so. New additions to my office space from the holidays as well as small pile of receipts on the far right side impede on my work area. My new co-worker looks at me from the far right side of my desk, next to the calculator, and his head bobs everytime the desk is bumped. If I turn and look over my left shoulder, there is a wall of windows, and today they look out to a gray steady downpour that is reminescent of London, or the San Franscisco Bay. My mind begins to drift to the enjoyments of a 50 degree January day that is full of sunshine....

I roll the bright yellow bicycle known as Amaterasu over to a tree and grab the air pump to top off her tires. Then, I check her drive train to be sure she has plenty of lube and not too much dirt is stuck to her chain. And I roll her wheels to be sure they are centered between the brake pads and that the brakes are working well. Finally, I bounce her on the ground to listen for any clunks or rattles before mounting her and setting off towards an unknown destination.

Out onto the road and today I will head northeast towards Portage county. It is near 3:00 and as I travel travel through the busy suburbs of Stow and Hudson I find myself constantly cursing at the cars full of teenagers and mini-vans driven by stressed out mothers as they make their way around town. In just a couple of miles I will catch the bike path which will land me onto the rolling hills and country roads that I set out to find.

As those of us from Northeast Ohio know, Portage county is much different from the suburban Akron-Cleveland corridor that I grew up in. It is full of 2 lane country roads, pick-up trucks, small farms, many bogs, marsh's, ponds, and lakes, as well as a bunch of horses and a few cows. It's rolling hills are perfect for a nice spin on the bike, although some of the roads are a bit rough.

I knew that it would be dark by 5:00 and I have yet to mount a headlight on Amaterasu so at 4:00 I turn towards the setting sun to head for home. Although the scenery is still as beautiful, for some reason as soon as I turn towards home much of the sense of adventure that a spin on the bicycle provides is gone, until the next ride of course.

I catch the bike path as I loop back westward and pick up the pace as the terrain flattens. Just before the sun sets I jump off Amaterasu to take in the scenery. I set the bicycle against some brambles and take a good look at her, a 1991 Trek 1200; my first road bike. We are in love, or, at least I love her. Her 16th birthday is coming up this spring.

Arriving home I concoct my usual post-ride snack. I pull out the blender and toss in some rice milk, a bananna, frozen strawberries, a touch of maple syrup, 2 ice cubes, and a scoop of protein powder. I watch as the pile of fruit becomes a deep red liquid and drink it down as quickly as a frat boy consumes his "natty light." Now, I must get out of the sweat drenched clothes and shower as I'm starting to feel a chill.....And I must shake my head and blink my eyes and remember what I'm sitting at this desk to do. The pile of papers in front of my won't let me forget, I must get back to work.....