I got a strapless dress a few days ago, but haven't been able to wear it yet because I have an extreme biker's tan. This is partly because I'm forgetful about sunscreen, figuring so long as I don't burn it's just so much vitamin D. Also because I am at least a little proud of being marked as a cyclist.

I've got the brown circle on the back of my hand from the bike glove, as well as some odd looking spots because this year's bike glove has a crocheted back. That's ok, but the farmer's tan makes my shoulders look ghostly white and the dress makes me look ridiculous. My daughter said it looked like I was wearing long gloves on my arms.

I bought a tube top to wear on bike rides to brown up my shoulders to match the rest. On yesterday's ride, I put sunscreen on the tan on my arms, to let my shoulders catch up.

I possibly overdid it. Instead of brown-and-white tan lines, I am brown-and-red. That's better than last year, when sleeves of different lengths on different rides resulted in brown-red-white so I looked like neopolitan ice cream.