the thursday morning commute start line
i roll up to 38th and speedway. there's around 8 bikers sitting there on the light. i am beside the bus at the back of the pack. i size up my competition. a couple guys on mtbikes that were earlier spinning up fast to the light, a guy on mtbike commuter seeming nervous by the bus, some folks up front i think there's a cruiser and a couple road bikes.
i quickly strategize my move, finding weaknesses (i think i can beat timid bus man) and getting mental (like more than usual). i spin it around to click in the right gear. wait: im fixed. ok. im in the right gear. the light turns green. and i make my move around timid bus man bike rider, i move forward in front of the bus (which is motionless because of all the bike traffic) and pass the entire field except for 2 up ahead. there is lots of clicking and sideway glances. a couple more join in from the side streets off speedway and quickly realize they better roll or get out of the way hay.
around 15 morons all steamrolling down speedway. its a full on assault. i stay up front and out of danger until the road takes a little bit of a dip. my competitors shift into big chain and roll past me. i scream to myself silently: do not panic and trying to remember the lyrics to eye of the tiger or maybe i am woman, hear me roar. i keep my pace, hit the turn at full speed and down to the stop sign. i swing out wide for the right turn and catch them on the back. someone hollers out in glee for some reason. we roll up to the big 5way killing fields stopsign and completely blow through it. too many of us. we climb the short hill to the next stop sign. and blow that one too.
i sit up and respectfully signal i'm turning into the parking garage to lock up and to say: later bitches.
yep...that's how you roll to work on speedway. commuter bike race. next time i'm wearing a skinsuit.
posted by megan | 3/02/2006 11:20:00 PM
9 Comments:
HELL YEAH!
Way cool.... you well need a propeller cap with that skin suit though =)
haha.....if only i could pull that off as well as Sir Benedict does...
Venom Wearin' Denim
Performed By Junior Brown
On the recording Semi Crazy (1996)
CHORUS
A
She's just venom wearin denim
D
She's a viper dressed in blue
E A
Tight fittin jeans are all she needs
E
To put the bite on you
A
She's pretty but she's poison
D
Like a copperheaded queen
E
She's just venom wearin denim
A
She's a nightmare not a dream
VERSE
E
She slithers when she walks
D A
And there's no tellin where she's been
E D A
She'll coil up beside you tryin to shed that venom skin
D A
Once she strikes heR deadly bite Theres no antidote
She's just venom wearin denim boy
E A
She'll go right for your throat
CHORUS
GUITAR SOLO
LAP STEEL SOLO
VERSE
E
She'll start hissin when she's kissin
D A
Sayin your the only one
E
She'll tell you lies with beatty eyes
D A
And a big long forked tongue
D
If you give that gal a diamond ring
A
You'll get a Diamond back
She just venom wearin denim boy
E A
She's always makin tracks
CHORUS
E
She's just venom wearin denim
D E A
She's a nightmare not a dream
Please tell me you're not one of the cyclists who runs the red light there when the other side has a green arrow.
And you can see my house from the corner with 35th heading south; look to your left for an olive green house on the south side of the road and wave...
Man, to commute in Austin again. Spent a good part of my adult life growing up on those city streets. I miss the early morning commutes racing cars across the 1st St bridge. Makes one miss Austin!
hay mike i did see your little green house i believe. i'll wave...
ya xvcnco....despite the traffic. austin remains a great place to ride a bike, i think...
oh this is all too familiar Meg...I am laughing b/c I have the same fun every single morning with morons who try to crush....but it seems none of them can crush me in my trusty flip flops. Also note: put a decal on your frame with your name and people will not line up next to you...they start creeping backwards. hah.
Awesome commuter war story. And to think, all our lives we've been training for this.
Post a Comment
<< Home