Feature Article

Am I Now a Glider?

Bob Newman

Today’s lesson will be in the use of propaganda, the fine art of conveying an untrue message even though you do not tell a lie. The propaganda is: Today I became a Glider.  No one showed up for my LoBee ride today.  With no one there for my ride, I decided to at least start with the Gliders as were departing from the same spot.  I figured I’d try and hang with them as long as I could.  After conceding them about a mile and a half warm-up I made my move.  With very little effort I blew by all of them.  After leading the group for about 10 miles I slowed down a little bit to let someone else pull for a while. 

The reality was this:  after we started the Gliders were just warming up and I had to do everything within my power to keep up with them even then.  I’m sure I would not have been able to do even that, if it wasn’t for them getting caught at city traffic signals.  About a mile and a half into the ride one of the Gliders had a flat tire and they all stopped to help.  Since I was going so slow I decided not to stop and rode on past (hence making my move and blowing past them all). 

They must have taken a while for the flat to get fixed as it was about 10 miles before they caught and blew past me (hence my letting someone else pull for a while).  Maybe one day I will be able to ride with the Gliders, just not in the foreseeable future.  And that, as they say, is the rest of the story.

Ride safe, be safe… Bob Newman (President)