Just another shitty day in ...

My sister-in-law had to work today,
so my brother and I took off alone
to ride 54 miles of relentlessly
hilly county roads in the countryside
north of Kansas City.

And we arrived in Paradise.Paradise is a quiet place
where you can walk into a store
called Clyde's and buy a Snickers bar
and a bottle of Gatorade. Or if you're
brave, you can have a Philly Cheese Steak
that costs a mere $2.19. (Something tells me
there's a plastic wrapper and
a microwave involved.)

But you can't wear your cleats inside
on the painted wooden floor.
And while you sit outside on a cheap,
plastic chair, maybe a guy will step out
of his pickup and notice you're
drinking Gatorade with no shoes on.
Then he can look at your bike
and ask how your feet can hurt
when they don't even touch the ground.

I recommend giving him a little laugh
and a friendly wave.

It's easier than explaining the cleat thing.