If you said, "A line by Blanche DuBois in the play A Streetcar Named Desire," you get 25 bonus points. If you said, "Are you talking about a zipper situation again, Jim?"... yep.
I took Joan's scoot out for a ride today. Timing matters. The gusty south winds were still happening today when I went out for a bicycle ride. The hourly weather predictions were showing a 2-hour window where the winds would diminish and start to clock around from the north. That would be my time to get out on the scoot.
Joan wanted to "de-junk" the cargo trailer, and having one bike out of there would be a good time. I rolled her Xmax out and started gearing up. The temperature was 74º, and I thought it would be a good time to put on my one-piece riding suit (shorts and a long sleeve t-shirt underneath). Riding suit on, I doffed my helmet and pulled on my gloves. Ready to roll!
I made it as far as the bridge... and it was just opening. If it seems like I mention that more lately, it is because it is happening more lately. In the past year, the barge traffic through our bridge has more than doubled due to our local port (in the turning basin) is now a depot where fuel barges unload into Mexican tanker trucks. When it opens for a barge, it is open longer than for smaller boats; more waiting.
Here's the scenario: now 75º, almost no breeze, me wearing a black one-piece riding suit... which is very comfortable at that temperature when moving... not so comfortable when you're just sitting in the sun. After sweating like a farm animal for a bit, I tried to reach behind me to open up the zippered vents in the back of the suit. Oh, sure, I could get some air through the front, but you need those "exhaust vents" in the back open to get air flow.
By now, the line of cars waiting for the bridge to open was getting quite long. The car behind me pulled around me and went into the boat launch area to do a U-turn and head back home. I recognized the couple. Oh, I don't know them by name, but then live on the next block over and I frequently see them when I'm riding my bicycle in the morning, and we exchange "Good morning"s... desperate times call for desperate measures. I waved for them to stop on their way by... pretty sure they had no idea who I am, wearing a helmet and this riding suit.
They stopped, and I said, "Hi. My name is Jim; I see you folks most mornings while riding my bicycle. I'm only telling you that so you don't think I'm some whacko, but I need a small favor... it is getting really warm here in the sun in this black riding suit, and I can't reach the zippers in the back to allow some air flow. If I turn around, would you be so kind as to open those zippers?"
He laughed, they told me their names, and he said, "We got ya covered." As he opened the zippers, it was truly like a breath of fresh air.
"Whew - thanks!" They moved on, I went back to the scoot. Amazing what a difference it makes having those vents open.
When the bridge finally closed, the traffic started moving. Slowly. Across our bridge and another 10 blocks or so to the causeway, where I could get the scoot up to 55 or 60 mph. Yep, that's cool. Literally. 71º across the causeway, and it felt great.
Nice ride. On the way down SPI, 4 old people pressed the button to illuminate a crosswalk light. They went across single file, each one moving slower than the one in front of them. I had to look around to see if there was a hidden camera and I was being punked. Apparently not.
Back home, I checked the bike for leaks (from the recent oil change) - all good. And, comfortable in the riding suit, before taking it off and hanging it up. Yep, nice ride.
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