I kicked off biking season on saturday with the Schuylkill Trail. The day was bright and sunny and mild. I was a bit apprehensive of starting out the season with a 30 mile trail but I threw caution to the wind and the wind threw it back at me. But it turned out that it wasn't that bad really. At least the first 25 miles to Center City.
At Conshohocken, which is about halfway along the trail, I stumbled across a newly constructed branch of the Cross-County Trail. I asked a guy with a bike standing in front of a sign saying "Cross County Trail to Plymouth Meeting - 3 miles" the question, "Do you know where this trail goes to and how far"? To be fair to me, I hadn't seen the sign when I asked him, but let's not be fair to me. To be fair to him, he probably thought I was an idiot and let's not be fair to him either. So we jawed back and forth about the trail, speculating on its length and if it was beautiful in a strictly platonic way till we both realized that if information had been paint, our faces would have been covered with the stuff due to all the signpost drippings. And then we laughed heartily in the manner of people glad to be in the presence of someone stupider than themselves.
Someday I should do the Cross County Trail. But not today. On to Philly. Philly was nice and bright and sunny and very crowded. A book fair was happening downtown. The book lover in me wanted to jump into the crowd and browse some french fries in a food stand I could vaguely see through all that mess. But the beer lover in me wanted to get to the Independence Brew Pub, my destination for the day.
Independence Brew Pub next to the Market East Station. They have a great oatmeal stout. One might say what is the point of biking all this way, burning up all these calories and then replenishing those same calories through beer? But if one were to ask such a question, one would be an idiot.
So after drinking a couple of beers and dining on fish and chips, I took the train back to Norristown, which is on the trail about five miles from the trail head. An Indian couple sat in the seat opposite to me. I wish I had more to say about the couple but I don't. They were just a normal couple. My bike fell on them twice.
The final five miles from Norristown to Valley Forge were excruciating. To demonstrate just how excruciating, just say the word excruciating and stretch the "cru" part for about a minute. Usually I love to push my body to the limit and usually it doesn't fight back but that day it did. The final mile was agony. But all good things have to end and finally, I was left with a raw behind and screaming legs. Not a bad season-opener, all in all.
Next week it'll either be the Conewago Trail, deep in the PA Christian belt or the D&R Trail, deep in the badlands of Princeton, New Jersey.
13 comments:
pictures?
can you please explain in detail as to what you wear during these rides? do you wear a helmet, the tight biking shorts and all? if you do, please be kind enough to send me pics. if you donot, i would like to know what you wear anyway.
You can wear a helmet. I wore an Eagles cap. You can wear tight shorts if you already have kids and do not wish to have more. I wore loose shorts. And a t shirt. You need water. Lots of water. Pictures of the trail are in the link.
So, like, u take out ur bike, and ... bike for 30 miles ... ?
No I first drive to the trail head. From there, this trail goes on continuously for 25 miles. So once you are on the trail you can bike till it ends.
i think you and slime should make out.
What is this obsession with tight shorts and watching men making out?
Tonight on CSI: Crime Scene Investigators - [cover with "Who Are You?" theme song] Did the bike fall? [cut to scene of bike falling with a scream] Or was it pushed? [cut to Gil Grissom] "I'm not certain it was an accident."
[voice over with theme song] Find the truth, on CSI!
If it helps, I don't think you should make out with anyone. I don't believe in peer pressure.
Princeton is nice except that your wallet always comes out much lighter than when you got there. You can reward yourself with a brew from the Triumph Brewing Company when you get there.
robroy : My bike has learning wheels so it would be difficult for someone to assassinate me in this manner. Of course, they could always cut my brake cable.
lumi : Yes, I love the Triumph beer. The key is not to eat anything. That way the wallet stays as light as when you arrived.
Cletus : Thank you
biking season n all..atleast you have the biking trails here, I would be loosing sweat just imagining biking in Hyderabad.
chimera : Yes, that too on my bike in India where the pedal scrapes the side of the bike at every rotation. But at least the mudguards prevent the cow manure from flying into my legs.
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