Cycling US-36

As part of the construction to expand US-36, which runs from Boulder towards Denver, a cycling path was added on next to the highway. I’m not a cycling enthusiast, but I had been meaning to give this new path a try for some time now, so earlier today I got my bicycle, pumped some more air into the tires, and headed out to it. The route I took started around the Flatirons Park and Ride and I rode up to McCaslin Blvd before turning back. Anyone who saw me could tell that I’m strictly an amateur when it comes to cycling, predominantly because, other than one other guy, I was the only person not riding on one of those racing bicycles, and I wasn’t wearing the usual cotton spandex outfit that cyclists are known for. My gasping for air as I powered up the various hills would have also given me away.

Oh, and that one other guy who, like me, wasn’t looking the part of a real cyclist, was an interesting fellow. He was ahead of me but moving slower, and went I got closer to him I could see his bicycle was loaded down with all sorts of things. More notable, however, was that he was carrying a big cardboard sign on his back that read “Vegan.” If I were to guess, I would think that he’s one of those more aggressive vegans who is very vocal about his eating habits and not pleasant to be around if he catches you consuming any animal products. I know it’s not nice, but people like this are some of the most tempting targets for trolling. Should I become a more serious cyclist, I want to learn this man’s bicycle routines and then start intentionally riding nearby him with a large cardboard sign on me that reads “Carnivore.”