Biking With Conservatives.

I'm glad Mitch Berg is biking to work. Truly. It's good for him, good for the earth and may even inspire others to give it a go.

It's also good for laughs.

I was sitting at a traffic light at the beginning of the longest, ugliest leg of the climb, in my sweatshirt and windbreaker pants.  A twenty-something pulls up next to me in full spandex biker regalia, with a “Obama” sticker on the side of his backpack.

Game on.

Now, the guy’s a real, genuine biker, with legs like tree trunks - kind of like mine were 20 years ago, when I was biking constantly.

As we jumped off from the light, I got behind him and followed him up the hill.  He started pouring it on; I kept on going, staying about four feet behind his back tire…

…and BOOM - we were up the hill!  Done!  Blammo!  Just like that!  Barely breathing hard!

I stayed in his slipstream for probably two miles, pacing him pretty nicely.  Now, for all I know he had mononucleosis and felt half-past-dead and that was the only reason I could keep it close; I am, after all, 45.

Still, that long, ugly hill practically vanished.

So my conclusion; without testosterone, humankind would still be sitting in caves gnawing on grass seeds.

For two miles he drafts off another biker hauling a backpack and then credits his own manly effort. I think I feel a metaphor coming on, but it's already been composed.

Comments

[Spotty]

I believe the term is WHEELSUCKER. It is not entirely un-pejorative.

[MBerg]

Holy "Beware of greeks with gifts", Batman. I tell a *thoroughly* self-deprecating story (I was pacing him, not literally slipstreaming =- I know the difference, but my audience doesnt' much care), and I get tossed up against a facile, tortuous and fisk-worthy "it takes a village" parable?

And THEN have to interact with "Spotty"? (Which is, by no means, not anti-un-pejorative?) and his odd taste in practices?

Thanks for nothing, Quimby...

[Charlie Quimby]

Well, as one of your audience, Mitch, I wondered about how much his effort made yours easier. I'm about crediting the benefits of investments other people make, even if they aren't immediately visible.

Your account was self-deprecating, and I read it that way, but your description of "pacing" the other rider makes me wonder how his version of the ride might read.

[MBerg]

"I'm about crediting the benefits of investments other people make, even if they aren't immediately visible. "

Or even, for that matter, supported by any non-hypothetical evidence!

;-)

"but your description of "pacing" the other rider makes me wonder how his version of the ride might read"

Indeed, it made you wonder to the point whwere you created his version from virtually-whole cloth, to serve as a segue for a handy parable you wanted to link!

(Season with smileys to taste)

[Charlie Quimby]

Actually, the parable came to me after reading "staying about four feet behind his back tire" and "stayed in his slipstream for probably two miles" and wondering whether you might acknowledge the benefits of drafting — which seemed to me a good example of invisible help.

Having been married to a female competitive runner who was always being "paced" by guys in road races, I'll just say there are different views of the practice.

[Spotty]

Actually, Mitch, the progressive was pulling you up the hill because it looked like you needed it.