ninevirtues | Urban Assault Ride

The local bike shop/bike club does urban assault rides on weeknights. These involve mountain bikes and lights-- you go close to twilight, and ride around quiet, low traffic neighborhoods in my town-- with a gang of you, all lit up, it's safe.

I finally got a chance to go--- someone called for an Urban Assault on Thursday, and I'd just finished an exam. I had reading to do, but I bagged it; my brain was finished, done, kaput, electrical silence. I can read things in that state, but can't correctly answer questions about it afterward at any time.

So it was the urban for me: We glided along, in the barely lit twilight. Someone loaned me a helmet light, so when I turned my head, a pool of light in front of me moved to my new line of sight. It was a new experience, purposely riding at night, with friends. As the night wore on, I got more and more disoriented; we followed bike route 70, apparently, but I could not tell you where that was in daylight, nor find it again without a map.

As the night wore on, we headed home through silent streets, under a fat red moon. A magical, poetic night prone to flights of fancy got firmly anchored to the roadway, though, thanks to my friends' teasing:

"John, you need to buy new shorts. We can see your butt right through those. There ain't nothing left of those. You got da booty showing."

a few minutes later...

"Gail's not even looking up at John anymore."
"Uh.... seen enough, thanks. Your headlight really lights him up."
"Sure. Feel free to wear worn-out shorts so we can look."
"Uh huh. You will notice I am wearing two layers today. I came prepared. Dream on."