A few months ago my eye was drawn to a Surly traveling down the road as I headed home from work. I could see the rust, which seemed a shame. I speculated as to which year that particular bike had been built; it was a color I don’t remember seeing on a Surly before. It could be a custom paint job, or it could be a few years older than most of the Surlys I see. Which, granted, isn’t many.
Last week, on the same road, I saw the Surly again. Traffic was moving quickly, so I had just a glimpse, but I think it was the same bike, and presumably the same person. How many green Surlys are there going up and down Beulah, after all?
Today as I coasted up to a red light, I saw the Surly again! “I like your Surly!” I called. “I like yours too!” he responded.
It made me smile, that Surly connection, our mutual love.
Maybe the next time I see that Surly, it will be on the road instead of on the back of his car.
May 20, 2009 at 8:10 pm
Oh-O! Bike lingo!
time to whip out my google..
LOL
May 20, 2009 at 9:00 pm
I added a picture to the post, which might help!
May 21, 2009 at 3:23 pm
ROFL!!! It’s funny that you mention the back of his car. We are looking at bike racks for the van so we can go to the parks to ride. Kind of ironic, huh? We have some great parks/lakes rec areas here, but I wouldn’t feel safe hauling the kids around in the trailer to get there.
May 21, 2009 at 4:04 pm
great story, deb, and the comic fits like a glove.
also, beulah? i happen to work two days a week on fleet drive off of beulah in alexandria. probably one in the same.
i’ll have to keep an eye out for you and your surly.
small world.
May 21, 2009 at 9:18 pm
@Random, it is frustrating, isn’t it, that so many of the parks / rec areas are difficult to get to other than by car. A lot of parents don’t feel like the schools their kids go to are safe to ride to, but most of the traffic is parents driving their kids to school! Seems like there should be a seamless focus on making the parks and schools more easily accessible without motorized transportation. The funny thing about this guy driving his surly is that the road I see him on has bike lanes in addition to a wide sidewalk, if even bike lanes felt too unsafe! I don’t know where he’s going with his bike, as he’s headed towards DC, and there aren’t any parks that I can think of that he’d be heading to that are worth driving to! Very strange, if you ask me! lol.
@ heather – I had to look it up on a map, but I do, indeed, ride right by Fleet Dr! I am on Beulah from Telegraph to Franconia Rd. That’s where the hospital is, isn’t it? Or near there anyway. Too funny! Now I’ll be waiting to hear if you ever see me riding down the road!
May 22, 2009 at 10:53 am
Cute comic! Instead of “it’s going in my screenplay” he could have easily said, “I’m so totally blogging this.”
May 24, 2009 at 1:51 pm
that would definitely have fit better, at least in my world! I thought I’d linked the comic when I added it, but I guess not. it is yehuda moon (yehudamoon.com) in case anyone was interested in reading more. One of my favorite comics.