Monday, November 9, 2009

Understanding the bike obsession

A coworker asked me about RAGBRAI today.

Of course, he started it casually. Hey, I hear you ride RAGBRAI. Sure! I've ridden it the past couple of years. Haven't ever ridden the whole thing, but I plan on doing that sometime in the near future, maybe next year. He seemed to be focusing more on the party aspect...partying all night, got up at noon, saw all kinds of weird stuff...etc. Nothing wrong with that, it's all part of the experience. Us old guys partied pretty hard, too. Went to bed at 10, got up at 6 and hit the road at 7. Rode our asses off and done by early afternoon. Who hoo!

He asked me how I trained. "Trained?", I said. "Heck, I ride all year!"

A funny look crossed his face. That's when I knew I'd lost him.

I crossed over. Before the 'training' comment, I was just a casual pedaler out looking for fun. Now, I turned into some mega-miling, tree-hugging, environmentalist rhetoric-spewing, lycra-wearing, critical-mass riding anti-car owning cycling nutjob trying to save the world from Big Oil. Yeek. I started to tell him about my commute but by that time he was already headed back to his cube. I'm glad I didn't get started on my laundry room bike shop, my Rivendells, or my six other bikes. Yeah sure, this guy's out of of his freakin' mind! -D :>))

2 comments:

Travel Gravel said...

You know you've crossed when they don't understand you. One of my co-workers saw the leader of the Giro in his Maglia Rosa and asked if that meant he was gay! "Why do you guys shave your legs then?" You'd have to meet her, she's a riot (if you appreciate innocent ignorance;)

Unknown said...

I think I crossed when I sent my fellow RAGBRAI'ers a pic of me dressed in winter gear, standing by my bike, in the snow.