Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Daisy Dukes and Wool Undies

I'm squeezing this post in right at the buzzer. Kalea convinced me to watch a movie tonight and it didn't get over until now. 11:35. For someone who usually sneaks to bed around 9:30, that is late! Today was a brisk day on the bike. After having relatively warm weather (in the high 50s), the 30s feel cold. The sun was out, though, and my layers were appropriate. A note on my fixie commute layering system, by the way:

There are a lot of folks out there, including some of my dear friends, that wear these awful outfits comprised of  black tights accentuating the shape of the riders buttocks, over-technical looking jerseys with vests and arm-warmers and a neon jacket, a full ski mask, bicycle helmet complete with insulated helmet cover, Italian-made cycling shoes with waterproof-insulated booties and a set of Oakley Jawbone shades, with interchangeable lenses, in a color that matches the riders mood and outfit.

If you are reading this and you are interested in commuting by bicycle, please be aware that you are not required to look like Lance Armstrong when you ride your bike. Take me for instance. If it's summer, I usually wear daisy dukes and a plaid button-down (No, seriously--I do). In the winter, my outfit converts to full-length jeans rolled to just below the knees, wool socks stuffed into my already tight cycling shoes, a plaid button-down (this one is a requirement), a fleece and a neon jacket (it is nice when people see me). If it's cold, like less than 20, I substitute my ski helmet and goggles for my head covering (I know, it's incredibly nerdy, but at least I stay warm) and I put on wool long underwear. Wool is superior, by the way. The point is: get creative. No money? No problems. Just use what you have in your closet (within reason).

Anyway, I picked up our CSA box from Mothers and headed home. I took a detour, which you should always do on your bike commute, and I ended up at a mysterious warehouse with a bunch of bicycles in piles all over the place. It was called, the Bend Community Bike Shed. There will be more about this in the morning. To be continued...

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