Found, for years.

Saw this ad next to the bus stop while I was chatting with a fine friend of mine. I typically don't pay much attention to ads, but before I picked up my bike to continue my ride home, the sign and the frenchie were such a nice juxtaposition.
What kind of everythings have you found? I certainly haven't found an MTV on the bike lane, however I see plenty of modern-day-Puck guys around town. The rest of the little logos, I have no idea what they are, but I'm sure I won't find them on the bike lane.
Find you inner self daily, ride your bike!! :D

The idiots.

A couple of weekends ago we went on to a ride up north of San Francisco. We were ready to ride at 8AM on a sunny Saturday and we all joined the now annual Fairfax Foray. For those of you outside the Bay Area, the weekend mornings at the Golden gate bridge are hectic if you are on a bicycle. Not because happy tourists attempting to capture a memory of a majestic beautiful icon. Not because of our splendid mid 50° degree summer fog. Not because of our views. Yes, as locals we can never get tired of that. But there is something that happens on the north end of the bridge – the lycra bullies.

The verbal abuse the daily, normal, typically everyday people like me and my peers, and perhaps most of you that read this blog, get on this bridge on the weekend mornings, is certainly abusive.

I have always say I have met nice folks with full-on lycra that are very nice and sweet. That does not apply 90% of the time when I happen to be with my friends, on our-OUR Golden Gate Bridge.

So here to share, some of the things that I overheard within 2 minutes. Mind you, as the photos below show, the bridge was rather calm.
Too bad we intruded for these people, to shave 3 seconds of their time and some use of their bitter spit, to let us know what idiots we are.

As we turned the corner (it is pretty sharp) it goes like this:

"You are all idiots"
"Stopping in this spot is DANGEROUS"
"Move out of the f***ing way"
"Riding bikes on the bridge is very dangerous"

In front of me: Matt and Melyssa aka Calitexican

Behind me: Volker – laughing at 'danger'

I just have to laugh, and ride.
These *ssholes that go out of their way to insult us are plain out lame.

Do I see them riding butterlap everyweek?
No.
Do I see them dodging doors day in and day out throughout the city on a daily basis?
No.
Do they have fenders, because when you RIDE so much in the city, you *know* that was urine?
No.
Do they haul their fancy road bike up and down Bart, Muni, AC transit or CalTrain because they commute, went to a party, or are so tired after you went bike camping 100 miles away from here that you are just trying to get home?
No.
Are they having fun?
Certainly not.

So who are the idiots now?

We continued our ride, we can put up with the daily hussle in the city - these posers on lycra don't intimidate us one bit. Suckers.

They have no idea we rode to Fairfax, (about 18-20 miles up from SF) looking freaking happy and had a blast. There is no heart monitor to measure that nor energy bars to put up with us.

Of course, there are a handful that as fast and mean as they look, take a sec of their bridge experience to say normal things, like 'oh hello' or 'good morning'.
To remind you what idiots we are, here are some pictures of our ride.

and also, don't they know we are doing a century in August?! :D
Thanks for insulting, but try again later.

dat's rite!!!

Transplant

"Human nature will not flourish, anymore than a potato, if it be planted and replanted, for too long a series of generations in the same worn out soil. My children have had other birthplaces, and, so far as their fortunes may be within my control, shall strike their roots into unaccustomed earth."

This is a quote from "The Custom House" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. On reading it today I was struck by its truth and then instantly by its easy application to so many things. If you think of the "unaccustomed earth" as our daily thinking, the possibilities start to roll out ahead of you like a red carpet of opportunity.

photo by gregraisman

For many people out there, from suburban moms to major metropolitan urban planners to beer truck drivers to politicians, choosing to ride a bicycle is the "unaccustomed earth"- not so much an actual danger to body as it is a danger to the status quo of their everyday thinking, the "worn out soil" of their minds.

go see the story by Mark Stosberg that goes with this picture

We like to think that the only people who need some new dirt are those who do not ride, but it equally applies to those of us who ride everyday. How do we think of ourselves and what we do? Could we think about it differently? Can we apply the ability to challenge ourselves about how we transport ourselves and apply that to other parts of our lives?

Can we see how we eat differently?

Can we see our homes differently?

Can we see our jobs differently?

For now, maybe our bicycles can be our personal Ellis Island. A ride to work can be the beginning of finding a new land for our thoughts to take root in. In these times we need to grow as much as we can and reach farther than ever before with the creativity and determination that being an immigrant, even when the "unaccustomed earth" is in our minds, requires us to be.

Follow Directions

"You may go to hell and I will go to Texas"- Davy Crockett.

How long would it take to bicycle to Austin from San Francisco? 6 days 18 hours according to Google. Do you think they intend for you to pedal the entire time?