Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Recognition

the nod
from a passing cyclist

dude.
hey.
seen you out here before.
do I maybe know you?

usually
lycra begets lycra
messenger bags peg kits
backpacks hey panniers
early morning riders see other early morning riders

the helmetless
in tennies
look down the trail

~

while
out on an errand run
down the trail on the 'cross ride
library, post office, bank
auto parts store
in plain clothes
tank and baggy capris
backpack-purse

the hairy-faced man
in the jeans on the Schwinn
finally
gave me the nod


- Baggie nodworthy

10 comments:

StevenCX said...

Interesting how I'm regarded differently when I'm wearing my team kit vs. generic lycra vs. street wear, riding the race bike vs. the 'cross bike vs. the fixie, by other cyclists, pedestrians, motorists. Nice evocative words - been trying to put thoughts together about that lately as a matter of fact. No gift of poetry for me though.

Sascha said...

I made some similar observations last year, although not nearly as poetically :)

The Old Bag said...

I've especially noticed it lately -- I'm off in the summers and I ride The Sweetie's commute in the AM, then head back home down the Cedar Lake trail...I don't have the same cred with other commuters, it seems, now that I don't have the bag on my back.

Nonetheless, there's alot of cross-group recognition...

...but yet not.

Snakebite said...

"nodworthy" --- (nod)

How do i get to my old stuff said...

snakebite, +1

The Old Bag said...

thx

~ lauren said...

ah yes, street cred.

sometimes i go without my kit when i'm feeling anti-social, so that no one will pay attention to me. and it works.

SiouxGeonz said...

Your words captured it :) Being nodworthy so makes my day. (I still float when I remember the guy who saluted me with a peace sign ;))

Sewing with Zippers Barefoot said...

Kinda sounds like The (bicycle) People, Yes?

:)

"These are hereos then, among the plain people? Heroes did you say? And why not?"

The Old Bag said...

"They give all they've got and ask no questions and take what comes...."