Well what do you know… my vaccine appears to be… working! Shocker!
I’ve been 100% back to normal since getting vaccinated. That’s a full stop. No masks (I don’t even look for signs anymore), no distancing, I’m back to hugs, handshakes and bro-hugs. I’m about three weeks away from “last year is last year”. I don’t even think about COVID anymore.
I’m treating my vaccine as, well, one would treat a vaccine.
Normal is fantastic.
Alas, I can’t help feel sorry for those who still run around in a mask, whether to signal some form of virtue (if you’d even call it virtue, I wouldn’t), because their employer or government requires them, or because they’re still legitimately scared.
Another set I feel sorry for is the group that won’t get vaccinated – be it vast right-wing or vast left-wing conspiracy folks (if you think they’re only from one side of the political spectrum, you’re wrong). In fact, this is an excellent line of thought to expand on.
Whatever the case with the COVID, I’m enjoying my double-immunity (had it and I’ve been vaccinated… didn’t really know I’d had it till I was sick for a full week after my first jab).
One of my friends sees everyone through a political spectrum. Now, we all have our political leanings and beliefs, but the vast majority of us can look beyond those beliefs and see the good in others and let the rest go to be friends. After all, these are politicians we’re talking about here. Not this friend of mine, though. In fact, I don’t think he much cares for me due to the way I lean. He certainly likes to take pot-shots at me from time to time. I rarely react, because other than his political views and the way he treats those who think differently, he’s generally a pretty good guy to be around. Funny thing is, he’s lost on the fact I choose to look beyond his political leanings even though I disagree with a lot of what he believes in. I like to say, “if it was actually as bad as he thought it was, I’d be just as mad as he is, too”.
On a ride a while back during a ride, we passed Nuggent Road and I pointed to it as we rode by. This friend of mine is a connoisseur of rock and roll and I figured he’d get a charge out of passing Nuggent Road.
He got a charge, all right. He let me know how Ted Nuggent was a denier of the COVID until he got it and how he despised the man because he’s a radical right-winger.
First, the Nug wasn’t a denier at all (though he was mis-reported as being one – shocker). He said the toll on freedom was too much, and he was right. Anyway, I took that opportunity and said, “He also happened to play a mean guitar”. Then I added, “You know, half the country is a whole lot of people to hate because of their political beliefs”. I didn’t say a word after that.
If you can’t see the good in people beyond a bunch of political bullshit arguments meant to keep you angry, I’d like to suggest you try to make the world a better place. As long as you know where to start doing that. Try a mirror.
I do. It’s a great place to start. The asshole looking at me is the only one on the planet I can change anyway.
After Two Weeks and 402 Miles In S-Works Shoes; Morgan Hill, We’ve Got A (Good) Problem.
I wrote, last week, about two pair of shoes a friend gave to me that he’d moved on from. He’s into the new knitted shoes and the leather S-Works 6 shoes were snug on him. Joe is a big dude.
They fit me like a glove.
The first couple of rides, while I adjusted the cleats to get my legs in the proper motion, were a little iffy. The yellow pair fit the best, but the outer left heel dug into my foot just below my ankle bone. After three rides, I was wondering if I’d have to endure that pain until the shoes broke in. On the fourth, I noticed my left heel was out just a bit and I was pressing against the float, trying to bring my heel in. I adjusted the cleat to bring my heel in when I got home and that was the last time I felt the edge of the shoe dig into my ankle.
The blue pair was a different story altogether. They didn’t feel near as good as the yellow pair – they also didn’t have as many miles on them, so I thought maybe they just needed to be broken in. I changed the cleats out and fit them giving them the full treatment (lining the cleat up with the proper toe bone, then lining the heels up, etc.). I had my left heel out a little again, so I made the adjustment and they were perfect… they felt just as good as the yellow pair.
Apparently, if you want the shoes to feel good, you have to line up the cleats correctly, because after I did mine, they’re like pedaling whilst your feet are riding on pillows of butter.
And therein lies the problem. In response to a comment from a good friend of mine, I wrote that I would still buy the same Torch 2.0 shoes I had been wearing rather than part with $400+ for a pair of S-Works shoes.
After 194 comfortable miles in three days without a noticeable hot spot over a cleat, I’m not so sure I want to stick to my response, though. My legs simply don’t tire out like they did in the Torch 2.0s… and this isn’t a problem with the cleat positioning, either. I had the cleats on my Torch shoes professionally aligned. I have a feeling the S-Works shoes are just that good because this last weekend should have had me popping Dual-Action Advil like it was going out of style. I took one yesterday and one the day before, and that’s it.
Long post, short, the S-Works shoes play, my friends. They’re a lot better than I hoped for.
Fit Recovery 