Day 23 – What Have You Done to Me?

Wednesday, November 12th

Clearwater, FL

Finally, with a full kitchen at our fingertips, we got to fix a hot breakfast! We wanted to ride to the nursing home, but decided to run errands first.  My uncle lent me my grandpa’s old town car and we headed to a nearby shopping center.  After going over three weeks without driving and practically as long without riding in a car, the experience was frightening.  Everything moves so fast and I can’t see full circle around me!  The car blends in, so nobody really sees me and traffic frightens me more in the car than it would on the bike.  I had to drive like a granny the whole way there.

After shopping, we began walking back to the car, but couldn’t figure out where we put it.  I started griping about how I’d rather ride the bike because at least you get front row parking.  Then I realized what was going on.  I stopped, turned to Dad and said, “What have you done to me?”  Having officially converted me to the Bike Side, he let out a good laugh and I shook my fist in return.

We stopped at the Target to get lunch supplies (and a jug of Dole Mandarin oranges) then went to look for two bike shops that were supposed to be nearby.  We found the locations, but no bike shops.

Back at my uncle’s house, we ate lunch and packed the bikes to ride to the nursing home.  We didn’t realize until after we left that we forgot to bring our camera.  Grandpa wanted to take a picture of us with our rides and him with his so we told him we’d come back with the bikes and the camera on Friday.  “I don’t know what day it is” he reminded us.  Dad told him today is Wednesday and after a moment of thought Grandpa said, “The day after tomorrow! Wonderful!”  We visited for a while, but eventually had to get moving to miss to rush hour traffic.

On a whim, we decided to go a few extra blocks to look for another bike shop rumored to be in the area.  Clearwater Cycling, attached to the back of a surf shop, didn’t have the chain ring that Dad needed in stock.

They recommended some other shops that might have it on hand, then one of the owners remembered he had an order coming in from J&B tomorrow.  He called them up, found out they hadn’t shipped his order yet and had them add Dad’s chain ring to it.  Easy as pie.  We thanked the owners and headed home.

Traveling down a quarter-mile stretch of one rough, 2-lane road, we had some traffic pile up behind us.  The speed limit was 30 and we were doing about 25 mph.  There was plenty of room to pass and very little oncoming traffic, but the driver right behind us was uncomfortable making the pass, so everyone behind him was held up.  We rolled up to a red light and a white truck pulled in the right turn lane next to us.  The driver rolled down his window and took the time to tell us, “You’re holding up traffic, you know” as cars waiting to turn right piled up behind him.  The irony is painful.