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