Afternoon thunder storm weather here in NY/Metro this week.

Yesterday, on the ramp to the GWB, I came upon a cyclist riding w/one hand & carrying an open umbrella in his left! I had to laugh out loud. As I passed, I asked him: "Does that work or does it just make you feel better?" I don't think he spoke English, but he replied w/a big grin, I gave him thumbs-up & continued over the bridge.

TGIF

- Chris

last week i was riding in to work under a bit of pressure, as for the first time in a couple of years i'd left the house a half hour later than usual and was cutting it really close. so of course, for the first time in a couple of years i flatted on the way to work.

i pull over in a rather stressed-out foul mood. i'm a night shifter so this was about 5:45 pm, and i'm wearing my "in honor of andre tchmil" mid 90's lotto-adecco team kit. i shucked my pack, popped the rear wheel free, and was just rumaging thru the pack for my spare tube and what not when this group of three or four kids ride up on bmx bikes.

the first one asks me "hey, need any help?", even though there was no seatbag or pack in evidence, thus the probability of real help was minimal, the offer sounded totally genuine and started a crack in my afore-mentioned foul mood.

then the last kid pulls up right next to me and asks "you want to trade bikes?" i ask him "even with the flat tire?" he says "heck yeah!" i told him "no, but nice try."

they cruised off, i fixed my flat and humped it in to work with a grin on my face, that little encounter totally changed my mood.

-eric

I've been meaning to post about this for the last week.
last week I was riding along on one of the few road sections of my commute.
I came upon a guy who was wearing headphones. To my shock and horror he was also pulling along one of those bike tow baby trailers. I was pissed that not only was this guy dumb enough to endanger himself wearing headphones in traffic he was also endangering a child! I pulled up next to him and was just about to speak my mind when I looked in the tow-trailer and saw a dog! yup a little dog just chillin in the stroller with apperantly no desire to jump into traffic.
I don't know if that makes it much better than if it was a kid but it confused me enough that i didn't bother saying anything.

Well, this isn't really a coomuting story, but I was trying to pass a rollerblader on the MUT the other day, and she was wearing headphones, and taking up the entire pathway, too. I yelled "passing left!!", but tshe didn't respond. Getting closer, I could hear how loud the music she was listening to from 20' away! Once again I yelled, louder this time, "PASSING LEFT!!". Still no response..

By this time, I was close enough to touch her. The grass on the edges was wet and muddy, so off-roading wasn't an option. If it were a man, I'd probably tap his shoulder, but this was a woman, alone, on a fairly lightly used path. What to do, what to do???

Finally, I decided that my water bottle was the only recourse. I removed it from the holder, held it up over my head, and aimed for her shoulder. Spplutt! Nailed her with a stream of cold water. She moved over.

Afternoon thunder storm weather here in NY/Metro this week.

Yesterday, on the ramp to the GWB, I came upon a cyclist riding w/one hand & carrying an open umbrella in his left! I had to laugh out loud. As I passed, I asked him: "Does that work or does it just make you feel better?" I don't think he spoke English, but he replied w/a big grin, I gave him thumbs-up & continued over the bridge.

TGIF

- Chris

It was a fairly common sight when I was in Japan, to see business men on their bikes carrying umbrellas on rainy days. Of course, nothing beats the guy I saw on a bike in Beijing carrying a sheet of plate glass at least as large as he was.

On my almost daily commute I pass by a Los Angeles School District Trade school for adults, You know welding, automotive, construction etc. I am not knocking it, since these are people mostly trying to make their lives better, but on one particular morning, it was obviously a class break, with lots of guys outside smoking etc. I see someone open a car door and get out in front of me, and as I go by, I rode through one of the stinkiest clouds of pot smoke I think I have ever been through. I had the munchies by the end of the block. Immediately brought back memories of the shop students in high school.

i only commute once every week or so (just started in may) and have a long ride of 25 miles each way. my office just went to business casual fridays, so that helps.

aside from the wildlife, i would have to say the funniest thing i see is friday afternoon traffic jams on I-94 North outside of chicago. knowing that i would be in that mess always makes me chuckle.

on the ride in, the funniest thing i have seen were the 2 rich married housewives in lake forest illinois doing a "powerwalk" in their brand-new jogging suits eating egg mcmuffins.

Well, by "funny" I may start describing the weird things I have encountered. But here are a few things that make me chuckle, even today:

1. On the bike trail along the waterfront in Seattle, there is a snack stand / rest stop that also sells fishing gear for the nearby public fishing pier. Despite being a public enterprise (I think) the sign on the building reads "Happy Hooker." No doubt some of that trade is practiced in the bushes nearby as well;


2. In this same park (Myrtle Edwards Park, also known as "Myrtle Headwinds Park" by cyclists), there are annual summer events that require setup along the trail. There is a huge Fourth of July fireworks event with stages and food booths, etc. A professional setup team comes in and gets the whole thing setup in about 48 hours, then has everything disassembled and the park cleaned up within 48 hours of the end of the event. There is also "Hempfest" later in the summer, a celebration of all things marijuana-related. As you might expect, the entire setup doesn't run with much precision or efficiency, despite the help of many eager volunteers. When I ride through in the mornings, I see that some dedicated setup people sleep over in the park in their VW buses. On the way home, I watch volunteers wandering around aimlessly (and onto the bike trail) and taking lots of hacky-sack breaks. They take about a week to set up. After the event, the number of volunteers decreases and it takes another week to clean up. If I ever wanted sandals or blankets, I would have a lot to choose from in the remnants of Hempfest. The contrast between the two events is amusing.

Was riding through downtown traffic when i rolled up next to white toyota P/U truck with a briefcase on its roof. Before i could say something the light turned green and the toyota accelerated out in front of me. The next light was green so i had to chase the toyota hopefully before the briefcase falls off the roof. Then finally the next light was red and i was able to pull up next to the toyota. As i pulled up i reached up to the roof and grabbed the briefcase. Then i knocked on the driver-side window holding the briefcase in one hand and pointing to the briefcase with the other hand while mouthing "is this yours". The drivers face goes red and he hurries to roll down the window. Once its part way down i ask him again if the briefcase was his and he said yeah. So i slide the briefcase through the window sideways, the driver waved and then off he went.

i think the funniest sites i see almost everytime i ride through quincy ( south of boston) is the old chinese ladies with the shopping carts filled with bags full of cans. the kart and bags is like 5 times the size of the old lady pushing the cart.

another one is when an old guy with an old cruiser bike riding on the highway in boston at rushhour

My funny story: Every morning I commute over the river and the bridge ends between the Peabody Hotel and the River Market District. The Peabody is always having conventions and one morning as I was coming over, there was a group of 50-ish women standing on the corner all in matching convention t-shirts waiting for the light to change. As I rode up my light was still green so I continue on around the corner in front of them. I always try to smile a little and say good morning to our tourist. Well one lady in the pack yelled, "Nice legs!" I couldn't let it go so I yelled back to them..."You to baby!" You could have heard them laughing a mile away! They'll go home saying a good time was had by all!

Yesterday, I found two (one dollars bills) sitting near some trash on the shoulder. I stopped, and looked around for a few minutes after I found the second one. But the funny thing that has happen several times this summer is car passing me reeking of pot. I lost count of the number of times it's happen. Early morning, or late afternoon commute home, Pot. I wonder how many of the smokers had a Livestrong bracelet on.
My funny story: Every morning I commute over the river and the bridge ends between the Peabody Hotel and the River Market District. The Peabody is always having conventions and one morning as I was coming over, there was a group of 50-ish women standing on the corner all in matching convention t-shirts waiting for the light to change. As I rode up my light was still green so I continue on around the corner in front of them. I always try to smile a little and say good morning to our tourist. Well one lady in the pack yelled, "Nice legs!" I couldn't let it go so I yelled back to them..."You to baby!" You could have heard them laughing a mile away! They'll go home saying a good time was had by all!

Yesterday - 6am - a few blocks from home waiting for a red... across the street is a dry cleaners. A minivan driven by a woman is waiting opposite me for the light to change. Light changes and she about runs me over in slow motion as she suddenly decides to take a left in front of me. I am yelling at her- "hey... hey...!" as she comes inches from hitting me. A very distinguished looking man in a very nice suit- probably in his mid-50s is getting out of his car at the dry cleaners. He holds up both arms to flip off the minivan driver and gives me a big grin.

Today- I am by the Mississippi River on a bluff at 7am when I flat from a piece of beer bottle glass. I notice a man a few feet away with a TV camera on a tripod - pointed toward the river. He comes over and chats with me about biking- he apparently has several roadbikes himself. I eventually ask him what he's filming. He casually mentions that the police are fishing a dead body out of the river... that it was likely a jumper, since the homicide squad isn't there- so I spend the next several minutes watching the bizarre scene across the river until the body is bagged up and carted off in a hearse. It was a bit early in the morning to see a dead body, but it is one of those morbidly fascinating scenes.

Each day during this past winter, I commuted by an older man walking along the side of the road. We always passed in nearly the same spot each morning. I guess we were on the same schedule. Each day we would exchange a smile and/or wave.

One cold morning he made a point of warning me of the black ice as I went by. I said thanks but blew off the notion that it was really that bad. What does this guy know, he's just out walking. About ten minutes later, I crashed going around a corner on some ice. It was a total yardsale as I slide through an intersection on my A$$!!!

I now have more respect for this nameless man.

My commute passes a school. I swear the crossing guard sees me coming and stops me whenever she can. She's an old grumpy no-nonsense looking woman and it seem like she really enjoys getting in my way. It doesn't matter how recently she stopped traffic. When she sees me, it's "all stop" if there's a kid in sight who might want to cross.

About a week ago I was taking a different route home than usual. I overtook a full grown man riding a pink bike that looked about right for a 10 - 12 year old kid. As I pased him I looked and realised it was an old entomology professor of mine, one who was on my grad studies advisory committee, and the most generous and good natured person you're likely to find. I thought of slowing up to say hello, but wasn't sure I could do it without laughing at the site of him riding his daughter's bike to commute to work. Rather than risk offending someone I admire, I chose instead to pull away chuckling to myself.

Happy Friday,
Bryan

Yesterday, I found two (one dollars bills) sitting near some trash on the shoulder. I stopped, and looked around for a few minutes after I found the second one. But the funny thing that has happen several times this summer is car passing me reeking of pot. I lost count of the number of times it's happen. Early morning, or late afternoon commute home, Pot. I wonder how many of the smokers had a Livestrong bracelet on.

and then give you that "few fries short of a happy meal" halfa$s smile..to much..

it doesn't rain too often in southern california, so before i had a car i would ride my bike to school. it's about a 2-mile ride, so i would just take my mountain bike. anyway, one day the weather report warned of "heavy downpours with scattered thunderstorms" in the afternoon and evening. i thought "it never rains when they say it will. i'm riding my bike to school." it was perfectly sunny outside that morning and i had a nice cruise to school despite the chilly late-winter air.

i arrived at school and observed that the bike cage was empty except for my bike and this one other bike that has been locked up in there for the last two years and is quite heavily rusted. i thought "nobody else rode to school today, those wusses." and i proceeded to make sure that my other bike-commuting friend knew how wussy he was in my first class for having had his dad drive him to school.

the clouds appeared before lunchtime, and the rain began falling halfway through my last class of the day. it rained harder and harder and harder until there was a good 1-3" of water flowing through the Quad and pooling on the football field and baseball diamonds. i trudged across campus to my bike and proceeded to pedal home in the downpour, my sweatshirt doing its best impersonation of a sponge. several friends waved to me and flashed me the thumbs-up sign as they passed me in their parent's warm cars, and i smiled and pumped my fist in the air.

by the time i got home i was soaked to the bone and mud-splattered, but i had a grin on my face that came from knowing that i was the only person who rode their bike home from school in the rain on that day. i proceeded to take a hot shower and pour myself a steaming mug of Ovaltine, and then i sat on the couch in the den and watched the rain come down.

the end.

I was riding home to Halifax from working a evening shift on the Dartmouth side nad in November the weather can be nasty. It was almost midnight about 8 km along my 11 km route and I was going into a 50 km/h wind with the temp around freezing. I am appoaching downtown Darthouth just barely making headway when I see a woman standing on the corner looking very cold and miserable. She asked me for a smoke and when replied that "I don't smoke" she asked me do you want to party".

On my commute home July 23rd. I was pulled over by the local police in one of the towns I ride thru. In this area, there was a guy that the police said "looked like me" that had held up several convenience stores with a handgun. He robbed a store, then ran on foot about 45 minutes before I passed the road where the store is located. I was stopped in the middle of a busy street by the police for 30 minutes. Even with all of my bike gear on, they did not believe me. I was going to file a complaint against the police until they put the story in the paper a few days after they pulled me over. They caught the guy about a week after that. I still have not seen his picture in the paper. I want to see this guy.

I was riding home to Halifax from working a evening shift on the Dartmouth side nad in November the weather can be nasty. It was almost midnight about 8 km along my 11 km route and I was going into a 50 km/h wind with the temp around freezing. I am appoaching downtown Darthouth just barely making headway when I see a woman standing on the corner looking very cold and miserable. She asked me for a smoke and when replied that "I don't smoke" she asked me do you want to party".