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Sometimes You Gotta Ride Over The City





Bicycles pedal past, some hunched into the wind, some with the wind at their back upright in repose. An old man still in winter gear cruises past with a much marked iron contraption. A sunglassed Slav slices past on a tall bike faster than traffic. One after the other: a crunchy chick in fatigue colored helmet followed by a cute Dorothy type on a shiny Schwinn.

Do not get in the way of the slender but raptor-like courier with two-dollar bike and no liability insurance. Nicer are the big-butted handle bar leaners. They are on long trips across town and only are mean when provoked. Couriers will slice you down and crate you up and ship you faster than you can say, "Get that Bike Safety Awareness Day registration number."

Old man coasts slowly with psychedelic colored bike along sidewalk. His baseball cap is black and displays a white stenciled law enforcement shield. He was preceded by a Patagonia clad guy with one of those 'pick your own color' shoulder bags. Is he courier, trust fund baby or law school student? Where he locks his sturdy mountain bike we will never know.

Another hipster dude with sleek helmet, slick bag and slight build. The sun high up blinds against chrome and passing car windows. Rolling Puerto Rican dude flashes by in a customized hybrid with steel carrying cage in back, adorned with weather worn American flags.

Large man in brown with dental rearview mirror at his left eye. Another courier, then an underdressed whiskered hipster. They whip past as if powered by the sun. Down long bike lanes toward life, work and hopefully some love near covered bike parking at the end of the day.

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