December Fog

2 December 2012

The forecast said the fog would clear by 9:00.  As I made my way from home to the Hopewell YMCA I had my doubts.  I couldn't see more than maybe twenty yards in front of me.  It's at times like this that I'm glad Miss Piggy is fluorescent.

Nevertheless, there were three intrepid Slugs waiting for me:  Ron, Mighty Mike, and Ed.

His new compact gearing installed, Ed was having trouble with his chain. He'd removed six links when he'd put the compact in, but one link wouldn't sit straight.  Every third pedal stroke, pop!  From behind I could see the chain jump.  I hadn't given the route much thought, but I decided then and there not to put in anything too steep.  I need to learn how to fix a broken chain, but I didn't want Ed to have to teach me this morning.  We did get to hear him curse, though, running through four languages in fewer than twenty miles.

Maybe the fog was dissipating a little.  The ground was damp, even wet in places.  There were a few spots where I would have liked to stop for pictures, but we were chilly.  I knew I'd get some good shots at Mount Airy.  I've taken fog pictures there before.

My camera's battery, which was full when I checked before leaving the house, went dead before I could take one picture.   Damn rechargeables.  I used my cell phone instead.

The Mount Airy cows were elsewhere this morning.

I stopped again on Sandy Ridge Road. 

Ed, a shout away in front of me, stopped too, to watch a couple of deer in the meadow.  They split by the time I caught up to him.

We were the only bikers at the Sergeantsville General Store.  I can't remember the last time that happened.

 Sergeantsville General Store yard

Miss Piggy needs a bath.

I'd heard rumors that Sun was going to give up the place.  I asked him if he were planning to close it.  "Not close," he said.  "Sell.  I've been doing this for twenty years."  I thought about that, and about how long ago it was that I first stopped at this place.  I think it was in 2000, maybe 2001.  Geez.  No wonder Sun recognizes me.

We sat inside.  I put another pair of toe warmers on my feet, so that my frozen toes would be sandwiched by warmers.  We ate pastries, drank coffee, and dissed lima beans.

When we stepped outside again the air felt colder than it had twenty minutes before.  I chose the quickest route home, throwing in New Road because by then we'd warmed up again.

As Mike meticulously wiped down his bike in the parking lot, Ed explained to Ron the work he'd done on his chain.  This was a good one, he said, but not the highest-end, not the one with hollow pins.

"Sheesh," I said, thinking about the gram or two one might save with hollow pins.  "I carry water, y'know?"

Ed agreed about the supposed saved weight.  "That's a snot rocket!"

"Ha!"

"You're gonna put that in the blog."

"Yep."

A mile from home, the sun finally came out.  I wheeled my bike into the back yard, un-pinned Miss Piggy, stuffed her into one of my pockets, and hosed down the frame.  Miss Piggy got a soapy bath in the sink.