Okay, I'm not the kind of person to snivel about boo-hoo woman are so objectified but right now I want to vomit. I made my most recent pilgramage to B&N (which is no substitute for Powell's) and gleefully grabbed the most recent bike mags to see if they were worth my $4 and the answer was a resounding no!

All I can say is ick! I started riding to have fun, to take care of my physical self and my spirit better than I had. Good to know that no matter what women do, we will always be objectified. I always enjoyed that biking seemed to sneak under the radar of mainstream sports and thus biker chicks could be taken seriously, and not be seen as well toned lust objects. There went that.

I know Bicycling is owned by the same geniuses that publish Men's Health, why not put that schwill there? It reminds me of my ex saying that "Women ride bikes because they like how it makes their bodies look." Yeah, jerk, you're right, I like that very much the two scars on my elbows from wash outs in sand. I love the calcified tissue on my calf from a top tube tango. Heck, I even like how they compliment the indent in my thigh from a horse kicking me, and the scar on the other elbow from a skateboard wreck. Oh, is that not what you meant?

I know I wouldn't be as bothered by this, if maybe the what, one man, they put in the issue was posed in a dimunitive and submissive posture. But no, he's there, meeting our gaze, with all his goodies covered up.

What I loved is the article about how women can just pick a mate from the droves of hottie biker guys, and the guys have a harder time. Yep, that easy, which is why I'm boggled that Carl Decker and I haven't hooked up. Oh well, there's always bike shop boy, oh wait, he's engaged.

Yes, Bicycling, only 9% of your charming "sex survey" respondents were female, because we are out there turning the cranks, not bragging about sex we probably don't even have. *sigh* Over 50% of adult cyclists are female, you'd never know it though....

I hope they get innundated with mail, this is so messed up. Hmm, maybe next year they'll compare a GUY's arse to a bike's chainstays....

love and cookies
-smurf
all riled up