Wheel Jockey

So I’ve been riding two wheels to work for the last three plus years, but until recently I’ve been commuting on a Vespa scooter.   We gave up our second car at about that time, and I’ve been traveling up and down Mass Ave on the Vespa eleven and a half months out of the year.   It’s been wonderful.  The amount of money we’ve saved on gas, insurance, parking tickets and everything else has been crazy.  In riding during this time I’ve noticed that there is a bond, a connection between motorcycle riders that many will acknowledge when passing each other on the street.   The “Motorcycle Wave” is a special connection between people who share a common bond and experience, and it’s that bond folks on bikes should acknowledge as well, which brings me to the point of this post.

Yesterday I arrived at a huge intersection on my daily commute and I was the third cyclist at the light, and when I rolled up I said in a loud and happy voice “Good Morning Bike People!”   It was sunny and biker number 2 looked at me and gleefully returned my welcome with a pleasant “Good Morning …” at the same time when biker number 1, turned and looked at me like I was off my rocker.  Indeed someone was wound a little tight in his kit and all I could think of was … man, if you are that crabby this early in the morning, why the hell didn’t you take the car?

So … GOOD MORNING BIKE PEOPLE … enjoy the day and be careful out there.

JI

Here we have it … the training wheels are off and the bike blog is going.   I’m still annoyed that I can figure out how to change the header image, but I’ve given up trying to figure that out and decided that it was time to get some thoughts and feelings out there.

I’ve had a bike since I can remember and have enjoyed them greatly over the years.  I’ve flown on two wheels down country roads in France, across sandy beaches in Sri Lanka and up mountains in Guatemala, but for the moment life has me riding the mean streets of Arlington, Cambridge and Boston.   I’m excited about the new opportunities that await, and the different path that will become my daily life.

I read somewhere that early cyclists were called “Wheel Jockeys” so that is where the name of this blog comes from …

Thanks for checking in and let me know you are out there … be safe.

JI