I was heading out of work in the vehicular congo line that is the ritualistic exodus of the parking garage, when I witnessed a gaggle of girls pedal past the exit. Sitting a car behind the lead car, I could only see their helmet-less hair blow on past. As I made my way up to West End, I took a right to avoid more of the congo line and lost sight of the stop sign running female pedal-cyclists. While awaiting yet another stop light, I looked left and spied the gaggle of fixie females heading towards me in a clump down West End amidst mid rush hour traffic.
(not the actual bike. photo from google search)The lead fixie Heather was riding a pink brakeless fixie with matching pink deep V rims and white tires. No helmet, no gloves, no reflectors, designer capri jeans, a top matching her pink painted fixie, pink flip flops, and quite possibly no clue. Flanked by 3 Lieutenant Heathers aboard similar green, blue, and white designer apparel store fixies (one with a hip wicker basket accessory probably to carry the Smirnoff Ice) as they rode down West End in an disorderly orderly mob of hip fashion and flip flops.
At first I was admittedly a little turned on at the aspect of a rogue mob of brakeless fixie girls terrorizing the urban streets of downtown Nashvegas, but then with the realization of no brakes and flip flops, fascination turned into repulsion thinking about how the urban fixie has turned into a mere fashion accessory ala jelly bracelets more than a vehicle for punk anti-car establishment, greener/healthier lifestyle or even for the simple fun factor. These girls weren't out enjoying a ride, flipping off the system, or saving carbon footprints they were out to be seen living the Copenhagen model life vs modeling the Copenhagen life.
Still wish I had a picture.
Arguing both sides to myself, I proceeded across West End making my way to Church Street ('huh, Church Street, no $hit') I had just argued that at least they are riding bikes and drawing attention to that fact and maybe in their Heather's-esque manner they'll bring others over to the pedal-cyclist camp, even if they were bad role models of how to legally/safely ride/interact with traffic and their choice of footwear not so form over fashion (at least their accoutrements matched - points awarded), when I spied another picture worth more than 1,000 words.
Coming towards me was what I first thought a camel riding Arab perhaps on his way to market. Upon closer examination it turned out to be your average everyday businessman, only not so average everyday. He was riding a touring bike with loaded panniers and fenders, leaned over onto his clamped on Landis-mantis styled aerobars (in traffic), white shirt and tie flapping into the breeze.
(photo from google search)So what's so odd about a business dude riding on aerobars (no access to brakes) in traffic? Nothing really, aside from the loaded rack and panniers combined with aerobars seemed kinda funny, but it was the fact that he had a white YMCA styled towel wrapped over his head and secured there with his helmet. Framing the front of his face like a parka while the back draped out behind like a Foreign Legion cap.
I was at the nexus of the bike fashion accessory universe. The corner of cool and cool perhaps? But I thought that was in the Jar?
(photo from google search)
So much happens day to day that I can't even keep up. Like the return of boat shoes. I thought the sockless loafer and shorts thing died with pink raised collar Izods in the 80's? Or the fact that people all around here are always on their phones. They don't even stop talking while they order their Subway subs or while they are presenting in meetings. I've even seen two people eating lunch together both talking on their cell phones, seems awfully redundant. Even the janitor I walked past to the stairs today had 2 phones clipped to his belt and one to his ear as he mopped up the floor surrounding the H1N1 vaccination booth.
To paraphrase J.D.: "Yeah, but this is [Nashville]. I mean, if you don't have a [crackberry] in your hand you might as well be wearing a dress. "
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