10 Cars

I made an effort this morning as I was riding to try to remember at least some of the things I keep saying I think and forget by the time I get to the computer.  So off I went from my house at a little after 6 this morning.  Left out of the neighborhood and down the hill. 
The first thing I do is start to gage the car population.  Does it look tolerable?  2 cars passed me in the first few minutes.  Hmmm - that might not be good.  Then I notice the temperature.  The cooler air is nice but man do I feel it in my ears almost instantaneously.  By then I am towards the bottom of the hill and wagering crossing the road to turn down Pine Oak.  I have found crossing early and cutting through the parking lot of the karate parking lot makes it easier...  from a crossing standpoint as well as hill standpoint.  This morning one of the town's finest was testing the doors of the karate place.  Really?  Why would they do that?  6am on a Monday after a holiday weekend?  Unless there was a reason wouldn't you suspect that everything has been battoned down safe and sound for a while now?  Or maybe they sawy someone inside.  Dancing and running around?  Who knows.  I said good morning.  It is the polite thing to do. 
Then the series of hills - up a little, down alot, up a lot.  This up alot runs in line with the up alot in KP's neighborhood.  I must be getting a little more comfortable with the up alot scenario because today was the first time - after 3 previous rides on this route - that I noticed/remembered the little old cemetery right there on the side of the road.  Gives me a little hebegebes but not too too much.  This up alot is the hardest of the hills in the loop.  Out I came on the other main road and was going well... 
RIFF RAFF??  at this hour?  So I figure I left my house a little after 6 and I was on the road for about 18 minutes at this point.  So let's call it 645 at the latest...  And here come 2 boys dressed in their best almost goth skater type outfits...  you know mostly black with shorts and sneakers...  long hair like NP...  the one boy did actually look familiar and I thought I must have seen him around with KP and NP...  so let's call them 16 at the oldest...  WTF are they doing out at that hour?  They surely aren't looking like they are trying to break a sweat.  And they dont look too rumpled for a walk of shame.  So where are they going and what are they doing?  Shouldnt boys that age be in bed?  Being sleepy teenagers?  I tell you they perplexed me and probably bothered me more than any cars that go by.
I ultimately did see a few more people out and about.  Some hanging out in their driveway.  A few on bikes.
I did see wildlife as well...  The first being the feral chickens.  OK, they may not be feral but in true Bermuda spirit I like to pretend they are feral.  There were about 6 of 'em walking around along the road.  Surely must be feral.  I have heard them on some of the other rides.  I had yet to see any until this morning.
The most startling of the wildlife was the deer.  I came up the little hill and into town.  Passed the bike store and all the other shops.  It looks so quaint.  Oh - the old firehouse is available for use - OH if only I had the money to open a Viking Cooking School franshise....  I would snatch that property in a heart beat.  How cool would that be?  (see this is how my mind wanders while out on the road)... 
I went down around the old firehouse and take a back road out of town instead of the main road.  And there on the side of the road... a deer.  It was just standing there looking at me.  Me looking at her.  It was like it got really realy quiet for a few moments.  And then she realised and I realised I was headed right towards her on my bike.  She ran off into the field/woods.
I came back out to the main road...  The traffic was picking up.  4 cars passed me on the last mile of the ride.  I decided to bring it on home. 
I ended up at 40 minutes which is probably close to 6 or 7 miles.
Now I am sipping some coffee and psyching myself up for some swim time at the Y.