Petersen's Wisdom

05/24/12 246# 12m

About a week ago I purchased Grant Petersen's book Just Ride in order to read it on an upcoming trip, and I couldn't delay gratification and finished it. Excellent book, a lot of insight, expertise, and some thought-provoking opinion. He likes steel frames, rain capes, and two-legged kickstands; who am I to question him?

Riding away from the garage I hit my high speed of the year, 39.9 mph. Usually I don't exceed 35 but conditions were good, the bike was good, and I knew the road and I wanted to try it. Exhilarating.

I found myself considering one of Petersen's essays this morning, I believe it's called The Great Shoe Hoax about how the Marketing-Industrial Complex encourages regular people to buy pedals and shoes that lock them in (ugh) to only riding on special shoes, when any shoes will do for the great preponderance of cycling.

I had these thoughts when I left a place I'm doing some work at, dropped my car off at a garage, and rode the six miles back to the office. I was thinking, Petersen was right it's crazy for me to have two pair of shoes with me, one for the office and one for the bike. I diverge from Petersen, however, in my resolution; office shoes with cleats. I need to look into them.

On the way back to the garage, managing 3.5 mph up the hill that I'd found so thrilling on the descent, I was pleased at my work going up the hill. Two years ago I'd have stopped riding up that hill, and so it was a good ride.