Shifting from Fifth Gear to First

I've always had a sick desire to downshift to reverse or first gear while cruising down the highway. Thankfully, part common sense, part weeny has kept me from attempting it. Would you hear a crunch and feel a bump as the transmission dropped out the bottom and you slowed to a stop? Would it be like slamming on the front brakes of your bike, sending you a** over tea kettle, lurching over the handlebars - in other words, would your car do a forwards flip, emitting billows of black smoke at the same time (for the coolness factor, of course).

Well, if this week is any experience, it feels like a really, really bad hangover. No, I didn't downshift from fifth to first, not even in the rental car I had in California. But after back to back red eye flights, ten time zones, and an entire weekend on an airplane, I feel its the most apt description of my current situation.

The analogy works on so many levels.

I was just driving on palm tree lined, six lane wide, smoothly paved highways with intermittent views of the Pacific. Now, I'm riding in old, busted cars on old, busted streets, where 50 mph feels like warp speed - if you have the magical combination of car and road that can achieve it. Even more fitting, riding 10 mph on my 50 pound, single speed, creeky bike because I don't even own an old, busted car.

How about going from the land of time management, efficiency, and a go-go-go pace to, well ... the opposite. From fast food to not much of anything that can be called fast. Do you remember what dial-up internet feels like - yea, that one fits here too. Its not dial-up, but it feels like it a little too often.

This guy is no weeny...

I was curious enough to google what would happen if you did shift from fifth gear to first or reverse. 'A lot of pressure and noise.' Lame. That's not nearly as exciting as a car doing a forward front flip with smoke effects, or dropping the tranmission like a bad habit. Ah well, as it is, a few days of napping and sucking it up - and I feel like a normal person again. Still adjusting to the small things, but at home in Africa once again. I don't think any major body parts fell off in the process, and I have never been talented enough for acrobatics.

Next time though, it may be wise to apply the brakes first.