Thursday, December 15, 2011

Bike Mental

"You rode your bike here? You're crazy."

That was the warm greeting I received tonight when I was checking in at my neighborhood gym. The sentiment was mostly in jest, yet it struck me that there was no cause for it. Now bear with me as I attempt to explain. This is not merely a case of shallow nerves. It's 28 degrees out there with some thick patches of ice still. Denver may not be without its share of hardy bicyclists, but my suburban world still has 20:1 ratio of coyotes to cyclists. At night, a bike does not exist out here. This was a fact I discovered recently when I decided I would not drive a half a mile to go to the gym. That is stupid. Ergo, I began riding again, and to be honest it is one of my favorite things to do now when I can.

Enter the remark. Why is it when someone does something unusual, it is usually met with disdain? At very least a dismissive comment? It would have been easier, warmer, safer, faster, and considerably more normal to drive. Yet I rode and the guy rather sincerely passed it off as the act of less intelligence (i.e. crazy).

Well, if trying something even modestly adventuresome is crazy, I hope the sane world remain small and quiet. Personally, I liked the chilly ride and quiet, empty streets.

1 comment:

mommasitta said...

Ride on captain - ride on!