June 11, 2013
Define "Bike"
When people learn about my early retirement they invariably ask, "what are you going to do?" Since I have no other plans, I tell them about my bike ride and they say they would like to do something similar. Some form of the following exchange ensues:
"What kind of bike do you ride?" They ask. "A Harley?"
"No, I just bought a Surly Long Haul Trucker," I answer.
"A WHAT?"
"It's a bicycle, not a motorcycle."
Then the conversation takes an entirely different tone.
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| Comment on this entry | Comment | 2 |
Or ends entirely....
I’ve shared this same reaction. Cheers!
4 years ago
Yes, I'm sure it's a pretty common misunderstanding between cyclists and motorists.
On one of my tours I went into a truck stop in Iowa and noticed they had showers and a lounge for truckers only. I thought of going into the lounge, claiming to be a trucker, and taking a nap. I imagined a conversation something like this:
TRUCK DRIVER: So what kind of truck do you drive?
ME: I drive a Long Haul Trucker.
TRUCK DRIVER: Um, is that made by Peterbilt?
ME: No, it's made by a company you probably never heard of, but it's sturdy, comfortable, and is capable of hauling some pretty heavy loads over long distances.
TRUCK DRIVER: Really? I should look into getting one of those. Can we go have a look at it?
ME: Um, that probably wouldn't be a good idea. I gotta go.
4 years ago