Bike Community

On my way in this morning, I spotted my co-worker E on the way up the hill on Cambridge Street.
Actually I was admiring her skirt, and as I got closer, realized that I knew her.  E has the figure and style of a 40's movie star,  and an enviable collection of vintage suits-  We're looking forward to doing the tweed ride together this weekend.


We kind of kept company up the hill.  I'm becoming more and more wedded to my position of not filtering through the space between parked and temporarily stationary vehicles.  I feel like it makes my life a lot more tranquil.
So we played a bit of leapfrog up the hill and into downtown.
About 3 blocks away we were joined by our other bicycling co-worker P.  
We all commiserated about the sudden heat wave (high 80's today?) and when we arrived at work decided that we'd all try to ride up the elevator together!  Good thing we're all friends because it was a tight fit.
Everybody was all smiles though! Biking with co-workers is fun!

Lots of ladies on bikes on the way in this morning.  A woman in an elegant sweater set and pencil skirt with impeccable posture was in front of me for a couple of blocks on Harvard.  I pulled up and we admired each other's bikes.  She was riding a newish city bike that I didn't recognize and asked her if she had imported it herself.  She had,
from Sweden.  Lots of grad students and other academics here in Boston end up doing the same, so sometimes you see bikes from really exotic places around.


Three ladies stopped at the light on the Cambridge side of the longfellow.  Unfortunately they're doing a lot of construction there, and have the bike lane and the right lane blocked off.  Chatted with one lady about it and encouraged her to join me as I took the lane.   Need to remember to follow up with Bond Construction- will have to stop and get the trailer phone number tomorrow.  Although I understand they need access and parking, I think that they could easily leave enough space for bikers to get by.


On the way home I chatted with a lady on a KHS bike that I'd never seen before.  Not the "Green"  which is all black, and which I see a lot of, but a more cruiser-ish one.  She said that she liked the bike but wished that she had more gears (she had a 3 speed).  I suggested that she change out the rear sprocket, and told her how much it improved my ride on Minerva.  She asked me if I stopped at every light (after stopping to chat with me at a couple, and I said, yep, I sure do).  While we were speaking a guy tried to run the light we were waiting at and nearly got left hooked- I told her I wait because I don't want to deal with that kind of stuff.


I find that bikes give you a great way to strike up conversations with strangers- and friends too!