Fixed by Night
*note: Growing up in a small town, My weekends were filled with Moutain bike rides at night. A bit at odds with the rest of the small town culture, I wasn't watching nascar or getting all tanked up so I would bike. After about a 10 year hiatus of night riding, my love for it was renewed once again. This time it occured upon a fixed. A new appreciation was born.*
It was about 11:45 when I pulled into the driveway after another 8 hours of work. Knowing I just can't go straight to sleep because I am usually wound up from work, I decided to take the dogs out, gear up, and head into the darkness. It was a full moon as I crept down the driveway, slowly churning the pedals as I fiddled with the headlight on the handlebar. I hadn't been on a night ride in years. I plugged the headlight battery in the night before hoping it still worked. The full moon kept the roadway lit well enough that I didn't need to rely on the headlight quite yet. I continued to fiddle until I had it dialed in to where it seemed to be hitting just the right distance and height to be comfortable and actually see.
I rolled on, gently beginning the descent from my home to the main road, well, ok...main road where I live at least! Applying the back pressure on the pedals to control the downhill glide, I eased into the corner at the base of the hill and began spinning away on the straight as I started to approach the "main road" I turned on the light and watched as the moon glistened off the Lake nearby. Fisherman's Lanterns lit the dock as two people settled in for the night to fish, I watched them as they peered back at me, probably wondering what the heck I was doing...as I wondered what the heck possesed them to fish at that time of night!
Down the road I spun, occasionally skipping the back tire and listening to the sound it made in the loose pave. Ahead, eyes lit up by my headlight watched from the side of the roadway as I buzzed by, quickly disappearing at just about the time I would actually be able to see just what was watching me. I came up upon the road and peered about, still no traffic. I began to make my way to the old grass horse track nearby when I noticed these swinging lights coming toward me with the sound of wood rolling across the loose gravel. lamps on the front, hanging, swinging eerily as it slowly galloped by, fishing poles clearly visible inside. a smile and a wave, and the buggy rolled on.
I stood and began climbing the short steep path just off the roadway, leading up toward the track. Turning off the light, I settled into a steady pace as I began to smoothly turn the pedals in circles, across the front stretch past the old bleachers, I stayed close to the old wooden fence. I could hear the wind as it passed through the grand stand giving off a multitude of whistles and light clanks from the tin of the roof. The backstretch was silent...no sound at all, just the high grass underneath the knobbies as the wheels flicked through the tall spindly blades. Sweeping around and around, I nestled down in the drops and settled into a rhythm of silence. No clanking of the chain, no rattling of brake levers. No click, click, click of the derailleurs or worries of cross gears. Just silence.
No thoughts other than spinning. A light drizzle began falling slowly and I continued my loops, listening the tapping of the drops as they fell upon the bleacher's tin roof. Listening to the wind as it blows steadily stronger. The track is flawless, no ruts, no dips, no bumps. smooth and blemish free. I decide to keep it that way and Once the rain began to fall, I turned back toward home. Rain hits my face and cools me. A spray comes up from the front tread upon my legs. The air chills a bit as I make my way along.
Passing once again by the Lake I can see the buggy in the grass ahead. the horse, tied to a tree in the woods, startles me a bit as I pass by hearing it rustle in the leaves. I begin the long ascent. Standing, pulling up and keeping the rhythm going as I crest the top and glide into my yard.
Into the basement, I peer at my watch. 2:15 a.m. I almost forgot I even worked tonight at all. And a pleasant restful night of sleep awaits me.