11.6.09

This is my Sabotage.

Wow. They tell you about the hills here. They warn you about it, even. But it doesn't really sink in until you come across a street where the sidewalk literally has a staircase cut into it. Uphill, downhill, cresting four peaks walking eight blocks... if you see someone riding a bike in San Francisco, they're either a tourist, or in peak condition, or mad.

I am not in peak condition. By that fourth hill, I was puffing and wheezing like a steam engine, barely able to maintain my co-ordination. I must have been a bit worse off than that, actually, because I finally failed to clear a curb. A simple curb, no more than an ankle's height, but it nearly did me in. I lurched forward, and my hat flew off. As any good student of comedy will tell you, it's not a fall until the hat comes off.

However, I managed to get my feet ahead of my momentum with a little two-step. One quick lunge, and I grabbed my hat before it fell, and tossed it back on my head. Then, I looked up and saw a young lady who had seen the whole thing. I smiled, and tipped my cap to her, as if to thank her for playing the audience. She smiled back.

mojo status: 13/100

2 comments:

SarahJanet said...

Now, try to imagine driving around on those hills with Chris being a total maniac.

More impressively, we rode bikes there! Ok, not in the hilliest parts, but still! Ok, and we pushed our bikes up 90% of the hills, but still! I do recommend the bike ride across Golden Gate Bridge - it's gorgeous.

Karen said...

For the record, I did not push my bike up 90% of the hills. I pushed my bike up part of the giant hill before the Golden Gate Bridge (anticipation made it easier) and up most of the hill before Sausalito (bitterly).

Also for the record, Chris bikes to the office. Yes, he is a madman.