Cwazy Wabbit

Rode the Santa Ana 200k permanent on Friday night after work again. This time I'd had a full night's sleep on Thursday night but for some reason I actually had more trouble with sleepiness. I'm not sure if it's because the headwind was worse than usual or because I had ridden a 200k the weekend before. My time was 30 minutes slower than last time.

Those of you who like to cycle along quiet country roads or on bike paths at night know all about those cwazy wabbits. They browse by the side of the road or trail and when you come along they run across the trail right in front of you. Some of the less intelligent ones will run along the trail ahead of you in a state of panic, unable to decide whether to cut left or right until they can practically feel your front wheel on their tails.

I've always been worried whether I would go down if one of them actually went under my wheel. On the 200k an exceptionally stupid rabbit, one that should not be allowed to contribute to the gene pool, actually went under my wheel. Of the hundreds of rabbits that have crossed my path they almost all ran away from me. A couple have actually run between my front and back wheels. This is the first rabbit I remember that ran towards me. I went right over it - both wheels. I'm happy to announce that I did not go down, not even close.

I have no idea how the rabbit fared. Not well I suspect. My wife once ran over a chihuahua that was chasing her and, after a short yelp, it kept on chasing. So there is hope for the rabbit. If you see a rabbit wearing a neck brace on the Santa Ana trail, tell it I'm sorry.

I have to take my back wheel in for a service. I have a split nipple. It's not as painful as it sounds. I think I'll take it to the new Don's Bikes in Redlands to see how they do. I haven't been there yet.