I had company yesterday on the Waterfront Trail. The Whitby Marathon was happening as I was riding west and the runners were headed east. One thing I noticed was the enjoyment level of the participants faces as I rode closer to the finish line.
Pete, here on my left, I ran into as I was nearing the end of the Waterfront Trail. Where it heads into Toronto and then picks up again. Pete followed me for a few miles as I kept looking in my rear view mirror. Then stopping for a map check, he stopped and offered up some advice and shortcuts so I wouldn't have to get on Kings Street to get into Toronto." Left at the Log cabin" he said. Then following with "I'm going the same way"......hey..... "I'll just follow you". I replied. Pete," I'll be going a little slower than you". ......"No trouble" "It's faster than doing the same trail twice like yesterday when I got messed up." Lost again as I navigated around in a circle and ended up at the same reader board and park a hour and a 1/2 later and I was feeling lucky I did that. I average around 12mph. Pete does around 8 to 9 mph but thats at 1 time through so I followed him. I new he wouldn't drop me either and I always could here his squeeky chain if I lost sight of him.....Great Guy, as he said this was his first time out and he didn't usually go this far as I could tell by his chain.
Well all that worrying was for nothing as I got closer to the down town area and allot of pedestrians and cyclists were out in #'s for the holiday. A spontaneous herd of us cyclists met up and formed are own eclectic peleton to totally confuse the drivers. It was fun and quite a mismatch of riders with a common goal.
I find the day and experiences change with the miles. Someitmes I find myself getting attached to the lows of the road, isolation, traffic,wrong turn, etc.and once again to be brought "Highs"5 miles down the road by new scenary and new friends, even if it's only brief. Your new relationships on the road can have more depth then one's you've had for years. I guess the lesson here is let go of the downs and enjoy the ups, there always just around the next bend.
