Well This Is Cool...

I recently posted a video of a "cyclist wave" featuring an unknown local rider. Miracle of miracles, this particular rider reads this blog at least sometimes! I know this because he commented on here once before some time ago. It really is a miracle, you know. If you knew how few people read this blog, local or otherwise, you would believe.

 

Anyway, London Ontario local Richard Sleegers dropped the following comments on that post:

I call that one my "motorcycle wave" but it's hard to see. I can't say that I heard the Woop, Woop, Woop as I passed by, but I may have been listening to a podcast.

The construction on Wavell had diverted me, I don't usually go out that way but eventually I knew the camera would capture me in my spandex glory.

and after that:

I watched the videos out of order, the "first contact" was silent. I usually only give a nod, maybe secretly I was hoping for a featured profile post.
  

Spandex glory captured, dude! I trust the lack of detail in the video was pleasing. What usually draws my attention to another cyclist, though, is the gear. Especially panniers. Also riding style. Maybe I'm crazy, but the combination of similar gear and a confident, efficient riding style (is that a noticeable thing for you too?) speaks of a potential kindred spirit, in cycling terms only, of course. The road ain't no church or political rally, thank my Lord and Saviour with the blessing of the Right Kind of government officials.

Where was I? Oh, yeah! "maybe secretly I was hoping for a featured profile post"! Are you kidding me? I would love to do a featured profile post! I mean, cycling site authors profile their cycling buddies all the time! I have no cycling buddies, so this is an awesome and unique opportunity for me! My question, however, is whether Richard was thinking a "Beard Guy"-style fake interview or a real one. I am totally up for either one.

Hey Richard, if you're still out there, let me know. The fact that somebody local has contacted me has me completely stoked. Do people still say stoked?

Speaking of "Beard Guy", that dude laid a beatific smile on me the other day when I said good morning:
 

 

The good vibes emanating from beard guy were powerful, man. They kept me buoyant and somewhat less than cynical for like, 3 hours. I'm hoping their power have travelled your way via photo. I bet they have. Can you feel it?

 

 

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

 

PS - Richard, if you're reading this and wishing you had never commented, let me know and I'll take this post down in a heartbeat. I'm not in this to make anybody uncomfortable, ever. 

I'm All Good

Crabbiness overcame me yesterday. I'm not going to apologize for it, since what I wrote remains true. However, I was taking things a little too seriously. I mean, I have a loving family, a good job, a bike, a car and several personal interests (including this blog) that I find really enjoyable. One of my brothers has a great expression that grounds me real quick: my problems are First World problems. I won't try to explain that, because thankfully Rantwick readers are real smart, like genius monkeys on intelli-crack smart.

 

You know, it's not like I have a toddler on a leash who falls down and causes me to lightly kick my dog at the end of a tiring and dreary winter day:

 

 

 

Poor woman. I hope and trust that she has had many enjoyable moments since that one.

It is still Summer, my toddlers (one of which could have used a leash) are awesome almost full grown people and my dog says I Love You pretty reliably when I get home each day. I'm all good. 

 

 

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

Sick and Tired

I recently mentioned that I had contacted a local cycling group and was going to get involved. Well here's the flip flop. Forget that, man. This has does nothing to do with the group in question, but that little notion has no appeal to me once again.

 

Cycling advocates, aficionados and chronic debaters have just worn me out. I have only myself to blame, having waded in and out of those waters repeatedly over the last several years. I do care about such things, but sadly it would seem I have little tolerance for people, specifically groups of people.

 

Many of the blogs and websites I read are written by people who make sense to me. That is natural, of course. Nonetheless, the back and forth, push and pull of the conversations in the comments, usually interspersed with the exclamations of idiots and the rantings of crackpots, has lost its interest. I used to find it entertaining and engaging. Now (or perhaps more accurately, today) I have had enough.

 

It is totally fair to call me a hypocrite or egomaniac at this point. The irony of my writing a "cycling" blog and hoping people will read it while complaining about everyone else expressing themselves about cycling on the Internet is not lost on me. See, I'm part of the problem, just one of the millions of selfish children out here screaming "watch me dive" to the world and expecting people to do just that, no matter what is going on around us.

 

I'm going to keep writing and I hope you keep reading. If my posts get weirder or sillier, don't be surprised; I may be trying to make my blog content impervious to serious discussion for the next little while.

 

 

Yer Crusty Pal,

R A N T W I C K

We Ride Bikes! Woop, Woop, Woop!

There is a peculiar little wave used by cyclists who are passing each other in opposing directions sometimes. In London Ontario, almost nobody does it, so I don't usually do it either. I am, however, always ready to wave back when it happens. I kinda like it. Here's a sample:

 

 

 

 

I understand why the wave needs to be understated. Nobody wants it confused with a signal for turning or stopping or whatever. It seems awful quiet and tentative though, considering how awesome it is that 1) you are riding a bike and 2) they are also riding a bike and 3) you're both willing to wave, signifying that you "get" each other at least in some small way.

 

Have you ever heard a group of Australians respond to the call "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie" with a rousing "Oi, Oi, Oi"?

 

 

I wish it was like that with passing cyclists. I mean, how fun would it be if instead of a small hand gesture, we all did this:
 

 

 

 

 

An additional bonus is that this could be used after you've overtaken someone too, since it isn't a visual thing! Tell your friends. If the tens of people who read this blog start doing it, surely it will become an international phenomenon, right? WE RIDE BIKES! WOOP, WOOP, WOOP!



Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

 

PS - In this day and age it seems everything has already been done. I often think up little inventions, only to search for them online and sure enough, somebody else has gotten there first. Wondering if by some bizarre chance somebody had already done something like this before, I searched "we ride bikes woop woop woop" and found that the Aussies, of all people, were already in the ballpark with the "WOOP! Rolling Festival", some sort of fun cycling thing in Sydney.

 

This event is not in direct conflict with my idea; in fact if they do it again, these people would probably be more than ready to take up my chant! I'm gonna try to contact them and give a link to this post on their facebook page. Can you feel the momentum building? WE RIDE BIKES! WOOP, WOOP, WOOP!

PPS - If you think it would feel awful stupid doing this, try doing both parts standing alone in a work parking lot at lunch just so you could make a stupid video. I hope nobody noticed.


Hiatus Interruptus

Hey all, sorry I vanished for a while without saying goodbye. The Rantwick clan went on an adventure. Most of those memories I plan to hoard for myself rather than broadcasting them here. I will tell you I was well off the grid, with no access to the Internet. I missed this stuff, but not the work stuff.

 

I have a tendency to keep working when I am supposed to be relaxing, so being unable to check in was very good for my brain. I experienced a blissed out feeling represented well by this guy, who was obviously enjoying a nice moment, at least until I announced my stupid presence:

 

 

Alas, we got bills to pay and thankfully employers who appear willing to help us do it, so we're getting back to normal now.  

 

I hope to post way more often again in the coming months, but I'm not entirely sure I want to do the Autumn Tree Smackdown again. What do you think? Would you be disappointed, or is it time to retire that thing? Let me know.

 

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K