Sunday, August 28, 2005
Although I thought about cheating on my doctor's direction to "back off", it became clear that cheating wasn't really an option on this trip: turning over in bed funny could wake me up with searing ankle pain. (A lobster roll also started my gout gnawing at the big toe of my other foot. I dosed with the meds I now carry in case of shellfish and avoided a full-blown attack, but I was sure walking funny for a couple of days.) Running was just not in the picture for this vacation. Fortunately the Cape is perfect for the bike: cars are respectful, and there are bike paths everywhere. You couldn't call it hilly, exactly, but it is more hilly than Buffalo, and that made me feel like I was getting something worthwhile accomplished too.
Per Lance Mannion's advice, EGA and I sought out the Rail Trail, about a hundred yards from the supermarket we shopped at, and a first rate cycling experience. Fragrant with balsam and bayberry, alternately tree canopied and sun-drenched we rode for a few hours and felt like we'd really acquired a sense of this place. That's really the best part about the bike, actually-- if I'd run for two hours, I'd have covered only half the ground, and I'd have had none of the exhilarating feeling that comes from coasting down a long decline-- only the grinding satisfaction that comes from pounding out the miles. In the end, I prefer running, but it is more like work, and this was vacation.
Per Lance Mannion's advice, EGA and I sought out the Rail Trail, about a hundred yards from the supermarket we shopped at, and a first rate cycling experience. Fragrant with balsam and bayberry, alternately tree canopied and sun-drenched we rode for a few hours and felt like we'd really acquired a sense of this place. That's really the best part about the bike, actually-- if I'd run for two hours, I'd have covered only half the ground, and I'd have had none of the exhilarating feeling that comes from coasting down a long decline-- only the grinding satisfaction that comes from pounding out the miles. In the end, I prefer running, but it is more like work, and this was vacation.
