Yep… fireworks show was really good as usual. Somehow Knoxville manages to put on a pretty bitchin fireworks show for the 4th of July and Labor Day (known as “Boomsday”). I rode down to the World’s Fair Park and was rudely greeted by a pig, oops, I mean a cop, who said no bikes allowed in the park… what the fuck? Of course I did manage to FORGET my fucking lock at home! So I ride back home, get my lock, ride back to the park and go in one of the other entrances where a police officer is sitting outside his car. I ask him the best place to lock up since we’re not supposed to have bikes down there and he says that in fact bikes are allowed and that plenty of other people have them. Obviously the first cop was a fucking douchebag who didn’t know jack shit. So I hung out down there for a few hours riding around and such, admiring the “scenery”. I was going to eat down there but all the lines for the food places were 20-30 minutes long at least and I sure as fuck didn’t feel like waiting so I just went to Wendy’s and ate. Came back, rode around for a bit more and then watched the fireworks, which lasted about 15-20 mins tops. It’s a little after 10pm at this point so I figure I’ll just head on to work. Traffic on the strip was backed up out the ass so instead of waiting along with them, I just jumped into the center of the two lanes and split traffic @ almost 35mph, passing cars like crazy. Talk about fun shit! I even managed to catch all the green lights, too. All told, it ended up being just under 40 miles on the day not including whatever miles I rode around down at the World’s Fair Park. I actually took my speedometer off for that time period since I wasn’t going very fast anyway.
Speaking of riding, I found out that our local bike club (smoky mountain wheelmen) has quite a few group rides that they do on various days of the week. Well, there’s a decent looking ride that leaves at 9am on Friday mornings, which works out to be right after I get off work. The start point is about 7 miles from work, which I can make in under 30 minutes. That means I’d have time for breakfast and then just ride down to the start point, meet up with them, put in 20-30 miles and then just go crash at my friend’s house… or ride home if I’m feeling up to it. I emailed the ride leader with various questions; hopefully she’ll get back to me before this week’s ride. I haven’t ridden with any groups yet, but I’d really like to. Seems like it’d be a lot of fun… Riding solo is starting to get kinda boring, to say the least.