Eating Knats

Frick.  Not two days after I rant about not riding to work for all these safety and armor wearing reasons...I ride to work today.  And threw my "all the gear all the time" morals out the window.  Today was a beautiful day.

Donning the armored pants and jacket can be cumbersome and warming.  I am usually sweating profusely by the time I make it to the bike.  Riding without the armor would be easier, but definitely not as safe.  I've never ridden without the jacket, and only ridden once without the pants.  That one time made me feel exposed and utterly naked.  I just don't know how 95% of the riding population feels fine in jeans, tennis shoes and short-sleeve shirts!

I woke up thinking I needed to ride.  I needed to pick up a couple cans of dog food around the corner from work.  And I needed to pick up some dog pills up in Gainesville.  What better way to leave work a little early, save some fuel and take the bike to get the wind in my hair....so to speak.  :-)

As noted, I forwent the armored pants to wear my regular jeans.  And I felt terribly nekked.

The first stop pre-work for dog food was a breeze.  It was the "leaving work early" that raised an issue.  Even though I managed to leave about 3 the traffic damage was done.  I firmly believe that all other routes were clear but mine.  I kid you not that I hit traffic as soon as I turned onto the main road to take me to the highway.  I had 9 miles of this crap!!  There is a small possibility that some of this traffic was caused by mis-timed lights that hadn't switched schedules for evening rush hour yet.  And as soon as I cleared the worst of the offending lights traffic let up.  For about 1 mile.  This next patch of cruddy traffic was due to construction.  Construction that I know has been going on for at least 5 years.  This state is messed up, and in so many instances they are doing it to themselves.

I made a hasty u-turn to take a slightly longer, and hopefully less populated route.  The decision was good until I was almost creamed by a stupid idiot deciding to make an illegal u-turn in the middle of a busy road...100 feet AFTER an intersection.  She effectively backed up all traffic behind her and nosed her way into my directions traffic.  Fortunately, or un-, I never saw her.  I was  moving into the right turn lane and passing to the right of traffic at the light.  This dimwit was turning in front of a big pickup that I was next to.  I do believe the pickup saved me because if I couldn't see the car, that stupid driver certainly couldn't see me.  The pickup laid into his horn, stopping the dimwit.  Otherwise I probably would have been directly in her path...or absolutely unable to avoid hitting her.

OK.  All that is behind me.  Another mile to the highway and everything will be golden.  Right...

Hit the on-ramp and can see that traffic is also stopped on the highway.  No turning back.  Just make the best of it.  Traffic is at least moving, albeit slowly.  I make it through this mess and then follow the goofy GPS instructions that take me off the direct route/highway for a couple miles, just to bring me right back to it.  But at least it was a nice little country path.

Mr. Oilburner and I discussed meeting up for dinner but I was tuckered out from traffic.  And I finally realized some people's complaints about the stock seat of the R1200R bike.  In the past I have never had a problem with rear-end pain or discomfort on long-haul rides.  But wearing just jeans brought out the worst in the seat.  Or maybe in my butt.  But the effect was still the same.  My tush HURT after just 40 minutes.  I was relieved to get off of that seat.  I don't know what the equation of bum, seat and jeans played, but the heat and chaffing was annoying and painful.  Yet another reason to wear ALL THE GEAR ALL THE TIME!!!!

Stats:
89.4 miles
Wonderful weather
Too much traffic too early in the afternoon
Sore, monkey butt from riding in just jeans