no joke, for real but funny as can be!

I just came home from the grocery store. I was unloading my bike when a neighbor came over and said in her best caring, discrete voice, "I really wouldn't mind giving you a lift to the store or to run errands. I noticed that you have been riding that bike all over this summer. Did you lose your licence?" ROFLMAO!!!

That made me laugh so hard. I must make a spectical of myself with all the grocery bags hanging from my rack and bars. I did just order grocery panniers from Nashbar. Great deal, Only 12.95 ea. ($20.00 for high vis tops).

I wonder what she will think when the snow flies and I attach my bike plow?!!!!!!;)

Barb, that is one of the funniest things I've read on this board! But it just goes to show you how non-cyclists think. She was just trying to help! That's great! I found myself with a day to kill a couple of months ago. I didn't know my way around the town I was in. I asked the hotel concierge for some biking directions to the next town. He looked at me like I asked for directions to Mars! He absolutely couldn't fathom riding a bicycle 60-some miles. "You mean, you're going to ride your BIKE!! We (our society) is so auto-driven. They just don't "get" the little cycing sub-set of the population.

Too funny!:D

A friend told me a similar story. When he first began running on the local rural country roads, people would stop alllll the time and offer him a ride. "Uhm thanks, but I'm training for a marathon...."
:p

Quote:

---

I wonder what she will think when the snow flies and I attach my bike plow?!!!!!!

---

Do post photos of the bike plow :D

How 'bout a riding lawnmower instead? :D

excellent link, sparrow. those photos were awesome. the pic of the 'amazing' bike lane was hilarious, but also sooo sad... "bike lane, great idea, let's be sure it's paved with a mixture of pavement and concrete with a strip of gravel and rocks in the midddle. and for fun, let's put a huge sewer grate at the end. it makes it hard to wait at the intersection and could even cause accidents!! woohoo!!"

on a punnier note, that was priceless, adventure girl: "auto-driven society" .. good one! :D

Barb wrote ...."I wonder what she will think when the snow flies and I attach my bike plow?!!!!!!;)"

a couple a recent only-on a bike happenings. on my way home yesterday, there's a left turn right before I roll up my street. got into the left turn lane, there's a red light and cars facing me so I signal left.

on my left a young family, mom, dad, todler in a stroller are getting ready to cross the street. they see me point left and stop dead in their tracks as if I've pointed a gun at them not just pointing left.

I laugh and wave them through. as they approach I smiled and said "c'mon, I'm just signalling. I know you've never seen a cycleist obey the traffic laws and I'm sorry for the confusion that's causing you." They laughed.

my biking to work has caused a stir in my work locale (10 story bldg, we're a Fortune...uh, I think we're Fortune 50 so big co.) several folks have approached me and want to start riding a bike to work, one actually does now!!! I guess they think if this just-this-side-o-50 gal can do it ;-) one co-worker stopped me on the way out "guess with the price of gas close to $3.00, plus parking that bike saves you a bundle" "yes it does, and it's fun and good exercise too" I said. I didn't want to think about how many gallons of gas my road bike costs ;-)

I just got back from test riding a cummuter route. I got to my school and found the director coming out. He looked so shocked and said he was amazed that I rode all the way to work (only 6.5 miles)!!! Then he said, you must go in and meet the new principal. LMAO I was sweaty and in spandex, what a scare I must have given her. She asked me if I was planning to riding to work. I said I hope to ride once a week. She thought it was great and did not even flinch when I said I planned on keeping my bike in my classroom during the day.

With all the lights and stops etc. It took me about 40 minutes one way. I sure hope I can cut that down. The whole ride is very high traffic with lights at least every half mile. I guess I will try it again tomorrow and then once or twice before the kids come back to school to see if I can reasonably do it.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Trek420 "guess with the price of gas close to $3.00, plus parking that bike saves you a bundle" "yes it does, and it's fun and good exercise too" I said. I didn't want to think about how many gallons of gas my road bike costs ;-)

---

The average person has no idea how much "real" bikes cost. I was talking to someone who thought my bike cost me $200.... I didn't bother correcting him.

I'm also tired of hearing all the jokes about how I'm missing a fork... (I'm riding a Cannodale with a Lefty....)

Barb - I'm betting you can cut it down- I'm traveling 3.5 miles in 20 minutes, but I'm trying to pace the traffic lights every block (inner city) and I'm riding a mountain bike w/o slicks.

Very cool! I'm hoping to ride every day this year. It's a good excuse to never a dress or skirt. :p My ride is only 1.6 miles and nearly all downhill to work, so I just wear my regular clothes. Sometimes I'll bring a lighter top to ride home in since it's uphill and I like to work it. I've got rain pants for the occasional shower.

I also keep my bike in the back of the classroom - with my helmet prominently displayed.

V.

Veronica "I also keep my bike in the back of the classroom - with my helmet prominently displayed."

Good lesson for the students, V!

My bike is at my desk, which has a convenient "slot" between desk and window just the right size. We face the Caltrans building (there goes the whole anonymity of the internet, y'all know where I work ;-) so maybe someone at Caltrans is reminded ..helloooo, people ride to work!

from Cdalekat:
Barb - I'm betting you can cut it down- I'm traveling 3.5 miles in 20 minutes, but I'm trying to pace the traffic lights every block (inner city) and I'm riding a mountain bike w/o slicks. [/B][/QUOTE]

I'm riding a comfort bike when I commute. I don't have slicks but they aren't really knobby either. Do you ride year round? I am trying to figure out if I am that brave yet.;)

Trek 420, you keep reminding Caltrans about bikes and bike lanes! I'll keep reminding the city planners in my office to put them in. I work a couple miles north of you near the John Wayne airport.
-Weena

Shimpie wrote:"I work a couple miles north of you near the John Wayne airport."

Different building ;-)
I'm over 600 miles North of you but that's ok, we'll work at it.

Now that would be a ride!

Better take a cell phone (and a snack).

spazzdog wrote:
[B]Now that would be a ride!

Better take a cell phone (and a snack)." ...and a crew, and a sag wagon, I plan to do it in June, gulp.

I wouldn't mind a sponsor or two. :D

Next time I have a meeting with Caltrans, I'll look for a bike in the next building over.

Shimpie WROTE: "I wouldn't mind a sponsor or two. :D

Next time I have a meeting with Caltrans, I'll look for a bike in the next building over."

shimpie, better yet if you're ever up here meeting with Caltrans Oakland, pm me, we'll try to ride around the lake or sumthin' at lunch ;-)