Early Fall Commuting

Rain, wind, long sleeves, and meanwhile the Vuelta on tv. It's definitely early fall, although we're supposed to get more summer days next week. First day of class today, and approaching Weesp, it just did not feel right to ride in the long way, even though that's only two extra miles and I had time. I payed the price a few minutes later, riding along the Amsterdam Rijnkanaal. Three schoolkids came toward me using the whole road and they never moved over. I think it was because they had the sun in their eyes, and, of course, because on this little road virtually without cars they pay no attention whatsoever to anything except themselves. But still, at the last minute I had to steer into the grass to stay clear of them. (Yes, I did yell something angry and profane). I was motoring pretty well, partly thanks to a good tailwind, but also because this summer I've continued to lighten my load on these rides. Last year, I started out with a front fender and mudflap--but it broke in two, last spring. I also used bring a lock, but now I keep one at work, in the bike basement. And I had a seatpost rack, which I used to carry the slippers I wear to get from the showers (in the basement) to my shoes (in my fifth floor office). But last week I got a nice new Pinarello Granfondo backpack at a sale at my new bikeshop, which is not only much nicer than my old pack bought years ago at the Gap, but which also has enough room for my slippers. So I've also taken the rack off. As with the two earlier simplifications, the bike now handles much better. Now, I only have two excuses left for not hammering to and from work: my 28-wide commuter tires, and the fact that the drive train components on this 1992 Trek 2300 are so old, that I really can't get it in a comfortable gear in the big ring. But it feels pretty nice, riding without all that extra weight. So nice that I almost felt like chasing after the 7-8 man group I saw riding out of Amsterdam as I was about to enter it. They were obviously going for a serious training ride, and for a moment I was quite jealous.