"Black Ice" in the Rain

I am sure that the reason the lower right part of my back was hurting was due to the way I was sitting on the push-down seats on the train. The same soreness crept up the second I platformed. It's been a while since that's happened because I stand very frequently.

I'm listening to Black Ice this morning and it occurs to me that "classic rock" stations don't play enough new stuff by their own stable of artists. The Who put out their first new album as since the friggin 80s a few years ago and they didn't push it at all. Take all your "Old time rock 'n' roll" and shove it. Guess what? If you can't name a Paul McCartney song released after Wings disbanded without referring to it as "That 'Dance Around' song-- I know that one" -- then you are not a Paul McCartney fan. The good ol' days are over and "the future is hard and real." Move forward. It's fine if you don't like the new stuff but listen to it at least a couple of times. Black Ice kicks some serious ass and between that album and the ones I have from The Answer and Airbourne I'm set with my guitar-infused rock.

I didn't ride yesterday because it was raining hard when I left for work -- it tapered off by mid-day. It kinda bums me out because I feel like I'm losing money and letting myself down physically for not toughing it out. Today the weather was fine up to 2 certain points. First, though, as I was underpassing the post office, my Ipod dropped from my sweatshirt pouch on to the middle of the street. Thankfully, (and I am sincere when I say how grateful I am), there were no cars coming so I darted back and retrieved it. Cars came maybe 5 seconds later. That would've been awful.

At the corner of 29th & 10th was a short white or latino guy with a close shaved mohawk and one of those thin perimeter beard things that Mike Piazza popularized 10 years ago. He was muttering to himself a bit and spitting these little white specks. It was gross and somewhat off-putting.

I rode up to 24th and noticed they are shooting something over to my left. Yawn.

So I have no backpack today and I've got the Kerouac book, a rolled up pseudo-Under Armour shirt, Ipod, keys and phone. Helmet on head. That's all. I'd like to go running today but that is TBD on account of the weather.

It started raining a little as I passed the Meatpacking District and I put the Ipod in the pouch. I'm not moving too hard today as I went running with the Lizard on the boardwalk last nite and it rained at the end of that session, too. I'm also not pushing too hard because it's harder to break safely in the rain. There were some joggers out but not too many other cyclists.

At Vestry Street was where it started coming down and it was relentless. It was still fun to be out in it but it was hindering me all the same. I should probably run if it's raining anyway because there is no guarantee that lovely weather will repeat itself during this year's Triathlon.

I am almost entirely unafraid when I am on the bike. I know it sounds a little conceited but it's in my own head. I truly feel like I could take a bullet or two and keep moving. You cannot stop me. I felt that way running last night. Like that guy who stops producing lactic acid on the Stan Lee Superheroes show on A&E or the History Channel, and he can run forever without getting tired. He's not running fast or hard but enough to call it "running." Though I'm not as lean as I had been I feel stronger.

I've got no coffee in me today and no lunch waiting at the office. It will be a good day.

Thank you for reading.