In a couple of weeks, Anne and I will jet off to Europe, ending up on the Adriatic coast in Croatia, where we will tour the Dalmation coast via bicycles. This trip is part of this year’s septuagenarian themed summer, where we both celebrate our turning seventy together. It is a heady milestone. One where we are fighting against the clock, trying in vain to turnback time. A fool’s errand I know, but what else is there for a couple of geriatrics to do?
For this trip, Anne and I have been torturing ourselves. Riding almost daily now. We have both made progress with improved fitness. Anne more than me though. I hate being showed up by a gurl, let alone a blue-haired one. Through these trials Anne has always been most kind and solicitous. This really bugs me. As the days tick down to departure the gap between our improving levels of fitness and the demands that this tour will make did not seem to be closing quickly enough, at least for me. After a sleepless night, where the hamster in my head spun its exercise wheel all night, I reached a fevered conclusion and first thing this morning, I upgraded from a regular old analog bicycle to an eBike. When it came time to slap my plastic down, the most solicitous travel agent told me that there is no shame in riding an eBike. I knew better. Anne is not going to get one.