Bethel Spring Series - pre Bethel CDP Gold Race

After last week's snow fiasco it's nice to have weather in the 50's and 60's. There was a lot of snow even yesterday and I went out with a metal shovel to break up some of the big stuff. It covered about three feet of the narrow street and I figured it would be better to get it broken up so it would melt quicker.

I'd been going at it for about five minutes when this old guy walks up to me.

"So you had problems with the water, eh?"

What?

This guy is like a yard work ghost. It seems that whenever I'm doing some unusual yard work (violent weeding) or even not (mowing, leaf blowing), he'll walk up to me and tell me a few things.

First, he "owned this whole street" but he was a kid and signed it away. Second, he always points out to me that I really ought to do something about blank (he'll say something which I normally don't understand). Third, he makes assumptions about whatever it is I'm doing. Fourth, he starts telling me that I drive too fancy a car, that I really ought to own a house instead of renting it, and other things about living my life better.

I tried to point out to him I buy my cars outright, I own my home (well, the mortgage, and no, it's not a subprime doozy), and I do try and do things the right way. After a couple tries, I gave up.

So anyway, he came over while I was chopping up snow in a t-shirt and jeans and made his normal assertions. I ignored him and he left.

I forgot, he stands about a foot away when he says all this.

And yells.

Anyway, because of all the snow and how it froze after it melted a bit, my upper body got quite a workout over the last week or so. They feel pretty fit. My legs... well, nothing really.

Sunday is the Bethel CDP Gold Race (CDP for Carpe Diem Promotions). I'm finally not sick - I guess the flu went to Europe and snagged a bunch of guys there - and, to put a positive spin on not really riding for a couple weeks (except for the races), I'm really fresh.

Really, really fresh.

I keep telling myself that second bit.

We'll see. Tomorrow I'll do the standard pre-race prep - charge radios for the marshals, pack gear, stage my bikes, things like that. I'll have to put some air in the tires - the van tires are rated to 80 psi for heavy loads, 40 psi when it's empty. Since it's on the heavier side, I want to bump it up to 60-70 psi.

And I have chores to do. A PODS is being delivered (we're refinishing floors in preparation for a house sale). I'll get to witness the PODS-zilla live! I have a new exhaust system to install on my beat-up, 14 year old, quarter-million mile Honda. Yeah, it's one of those huge canister exhaust things. But I couldn't get just a regular one. So I'll look like one of those punk kids with the sideways cap, slammed seat, and thumping stereo (without the cap, slammed, and thump bits), especially since the car has no straight body panels and a really bashed up back half. I want to change the Honda's oil as well.

I hope I'll be able to get a ride in there somewhere.

And I just know that old guy will pop up when the PODS shows up.

I'll wear my ear plugs.