Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Dauntless and Pantless


Over the last several years I have come to inhabit a new reality. While reviewing video the other day, I saw something and said to myself, "woah. When did I get used to that?" 



The clip that actually made me think that was worse, with closer passes and more transport trucks, but you get the idea. When I step outside of my new reality and look at those buses and trucks rolling past on either side of me, it looks downright scary. In my new cycling reality, however, it doesn't even make me nervous. Alert? Yes. Daunted? Not at all. I am dauntless! In this way only, but dauntless!

I also inhabit a new work reality in which the following voicemail message makes perfect sense:




You see, I arrive at work in my cycling gear, including stretchy bike shorts, every day. Everybody knows that I change in my office. Sometimes I shut my office door and work for a while still in my cycling gear, cooling down before putting on long pants and sleeves. It is well known that people choosing to knock on my closed door do so at their own considerable risk.

Even knowing that in this context the voicemail made perfect sense, it made me laugh pretty hard when my good friend and colleague delivered that snappy line in such a deadpan, matter of fact way. In my new reality I am pantless! In the way described above only, but pantless!

Congratulate me on my new found dauntlessness and pity my widely known pantlessness, brothers and sisters of the bicycling universe! I think they balance each other quite nicely, don't you?

Yer Pal,
R A N T W I C K

12 comments:

christopheru said...

That is pure awesome. Pure Pure Awesome.

anniebikes said...

Did you send a link of this blogpost to Diane?

RANTWICK said...

Chris - I thought so too.

Annie - I got Dianne's permission first, and we looked at the post this morning. She's looking forward to showing her family tonight.

babble on said...

you might be on to something...

Steve A said...

Why are you wearing stretchy bike shorts in sub freezing weather? You are braver (or some other word of your choice) than I...

Anonymous said...

I know that intersection very well....it's a wonder that your pants weren't full after you got through it!!!TeeHee

RANTWICK said...

Steve - We're close, but not sub-freezing just yet. I'll wear shorts down to about 5 deg C. Then the long johns or cycling pants come out. Either way, I'm changing in my office.

Anon - To the contrary, I am dauntless, or, if you will, crapless!

John said...

Beware of those buses especially the ones with open windows. Driving one is not difficult, controlling the kids can be a nightmare. If I may be so bold as to suggest a new theme song for your blog...=) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu2nmeKvN1I

RANTWICK said...

John - I watched the video. I am sorry to inform you that no, you may not be so bold. I will, however, heed your advice on the open windows.

Anonymous said...

lol. pants-less at the office, nice!

cafiend said...

Your post demonstrates that you have acclimated your coworkers to a new reality just as you yourself have become accustomed to the different reality of biking among the behemoths with due diligence but without terror.

RANTWICK said...

cafiend - You certainly get me, man. Quite unfailingly, in fact.

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