Coffee Casualty

People always say, “Tara, I’d love to travel with you! You’re always on some sort of great adventure!” While a lot of the time, I am honoured that they would like to choose me as their travel buddy, I believe that they should tread lightly….. Why?  Well… this happened.

Today, I was driving though the Irish town of Letterkenny and I was in search of coffee.  I need the bitter, warm foamy elixir to keep my energy high in the morning because let’s face it, I’m an absolute train wreck without it.

I like bikes.  I think they’re just awesome, but as many of you are aware, I am far from a Lycra road warrior.  I cycle in my yoga pants, but I do appreciate the hardcore, super fit cyclist.  So today in my epic and desperate search for coffee, I saw that there was a bicycling road race happening.  

All the roads are blocked off and there are people everywhere.  The officials have diverted traffic and in doing that, that meant that I needed to drive right next to the some of the cyclists in the other lane.  

I’m puttering along not thinking anything of it and then… OH MY GOD….  Right next to me is the cyclist FEMALE FIRST PLACE FINISHER – she’s heading straight toward the victory line. On both sides of the road, people cheering her on and in my mind I am, however, there was a slight problem.  I realise that people are looking at my van, Fang Face, with a WTF expression and I am absolutely HORRIFIED.    

Now, I know she’s the first place female because she’s got a scooter following her. So I’m doing my HARDEST not to be in ANY of her shots. Who wants a crazy dang face van in the victory shots? 

So push on with questionable faces and I get though it – she wins. Now, she’s lagging behind and absolutely deserves, too because she just won… Then on the left hand side, this kid goes ABSOLUTELY WILD.  He’s cheering like a freak for the van!  What do I do?  I give this kid the thumbs up and a wild smile like a crazy person and I INSTANTLY feel like an idiot.  

Yep, I’m the idiot that just wanted coffee. That’s it. Not to be in some sort of road race avoiding the PAPARAZZI.