There's Always Signs of the Times if You Look...

My son in law told me the other day a friend of his had seen me on my bike. The friend said, "man your father in law was really zipping along." I can't take much credit for the zipping, I do ride an ebike but I try to get out for a round through the neighborhood as much as possible and call it exercise. In fact I had a loop I was making that took me about 40 minutes and yesterday I added a good bit of distance and I was still finished in 40 minutes so I'm going faster and longer. I'm not the only one riding the area though. 

 There is one regular, probably around my age I see several days a week. I don't meet him often on the bike since I guess our riding schedules don't jive but he is in the traditional bike pants and road bike set up and probably like me doing it for his health. The past week there were several other bikers I saw that I don't think were in in for health but for the transportation. I guess that makes sense since I'm between Lufkin and Huntington on the back Farm Roads and depending on your starting point this could be considered a short cut of sorts. 

First guy I saw didn't wear a helmet but he did have on a orange visibility vest similar to what I wear. I wear the vest because people might not really be ready to see a bike rider out this way. I also avoid getting off work and going to work time of day. I was glad he had it on since I was driving a car into the sun when I saw him and it definitely helped. 

A few days later I saw another guy on a bicycle and he had the definitive going to town for cigarettes look about him. If you know, you know, know what I mean? 

A couple of days after this I took the grandkids to Free Sisters diner for a chicken basket. In case you don't know one chicken basket and an extra order of fries feeds five grandkids. Don't order it for yourself unless you have a hungry friend with you. In the way home just where you turn off 69 south onto my Farm Road there was a guy riding a bicycle with no lights, reflectors and wearing dark clothing. I would guess he does not take the Lufkin News so he's probably not aware of the auto bike accidents and fatalities in town this year.    

So what's going on here? A sign of the times? A homeless encampment in the area? A halfway house open in Huntington? Concern for carbon emissions? Trying to be like me? 

I'll keep you updated as I zip along.