I sure feel klutzy on the bicycle sometimes.

It\’s really annoying, too. When I\’m getting the water bottle out/back in, I waver all over the place! I wasn\’t terrific at this bit of technique in the first place; and I guess I got out of practice while the road bike was in the shop.

I get annoyed with myself for being so squirrely. What I need is a lot more practice with one-handed riding; and water bottle drills to learn better technique for handling said bottle! The trouble with me is that I don\’t think about that when I\’m out for a morning ride and a) want to get my miles in; or b) am working on force exercises.

The Sunday long ride, come to think of it, is a good time. I\’m not riding in the dark; and I don\’t have to be too concerned about my pace. Not for the time being, anyhow; I\’m not preparing for an event. I don\’t want to try riding in a group until I\’m better at bike handling, anyway.

Wavering isn\’t the only klutzy thing that happens. Of course I sometimes drop the bottle; and then I have to go back for it. What an annoyance that is! It\’s especially galling when my pace is going better than usual. I lose all my momentum, and have to find it again.

During long rides, when I\’m using the Camel-Bak, I have the drinking tube. Getting water is much easier; but I still have a bottle in the down-tube cage with my electrolyte drink. I have the same old problem with wavering when I reach for it.

I can\’t expect to have the bike-handling skills of a Pro Tour rider. But after nearly nine years on two wheels, you\’d expect that I could at least ride in a straight line while I get a drink. It gives another meaning to, Don\’t Drink and Drive.