Fifty Plus (50+) - My famous butt (can I say "butt" on Bikeforums?)

I was skimming my Facebook feed on my phone today while riding the elevator and saw a photo from a bike blog flash across the feed -- I immediately recognized the setting as the view from the I-90 bike lane in Seattle, which I have ridden hundreds of times. When I got back to my desk I opened up the photo to have a look at it and immediately recognized the bike lane, and then, to my surprise, realized that the photo was familiar too: it's me!

http://i54.tinypic.com/95psic.jpg

The blog that posted it actually picked it up from another blog, here:

http://www.utilitycycling.org/2011/01/the-salubrious-commute-how-pedaling-can-save-your-life/

A number of clues in the photo lead me to guess that it was taken on an afternoon in May 2009:

- I've sold this bike (it's the pink Univega I posted here several times)
- I installed the bar end shifters in early 2009, before I sold it
- I can tell by the shadows and direction I'm going that it's in the afternoon; I'm riding west to east
- I see some knee warmers sticking out of my jersey -- in late spring/early summer, it's chilly enough in the morning that I often wear knee warmers to work, but don't wear them on the way home.

The bike lane is a little more crowded than usual, so my guess when I saw the photo is that it was taken in May, during "Bike to Work" month, and there are more riders out than usual. Am thinking some photographer snapped this photo and it's out there on the web somewhere for bloggers to grab (?). I don't think this is a Seattle-based blog. To be even more specific, I'd also guess that it's the night of a home game for the Seattle Mariners -- about the only time in the evening that the west-bound lane of I90 is backed up like this is when there is a line of traffic going to Safeco field to see the Mariners game (this particular spot is about two miles from the off-ramp to Safeco field).


And, before anyone mentions it -- yes, this is my best angle.

Interesting. It's a small world isn't it? Perhaps "caboose"? "Or rumpus"? Or "dairy air"? (Undergrad special admit spelling there.):lol:

Nice angle.:lol::roflmao2::D

It would be much more exciting if you had been wearing lycra:)

The blogger who used my photo got back to me -- she said she spotted it on a Flickr stream used by a Seattle bike blog, Bike Hugger.

It's been picked up at least 3 times since then, including, most prominently, in this news item at Wired.com:

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/10/more-people-biking-to-work/#ixzz128jU6TNA

From looking at the original Flickr stream, I can see that the photo was taken in September 2009 (not May, as I thought). The knee warmers in my pocket suggested to me it was on a day with a cool morning, and the fact that anyone was out taking photos on the bike lane made me think it was "Bike to Work" month, which is May. But I guess it was just a random September shot that ended up on Flickr....

Gosh knows how many people are admiring my backside the world over....

Cool socks, bro.

Is that the old bridge on the right? I had thought they had scrapped it after part of it sunk. Ah, the good old days. I used to ride across the old bridge to go to the hydroplane races in the summer. My dad used to bike-commute to Coleman Dock (he worked at the shipyard in Bremerton), and he rode into Seattle on Saturdays to do a loop of the library and the University Bookstore. He'd ride home through the Arboretum, Leschi, and along the lake on his way home.

Are those building over your left shoulder private homes? Those weren't there when I lived on the island. I did have a friend who lived just to the right (in this picture) of the old bridge. It was a beautiful home on the lake, but all night long you heard semi-truck downshifting to climb up the bridge, and the rumbling as they went over the grating at the end. It sounded like they were driving right through her living room!

Hey, my bar end shifter stick out to the side just a wee bit too. I thought I was the only one who did that.

Nice image BengeBoy, although I'm just not getting the "famous butt" thing. Perhaps you could cut and paste some of the bloggers comments so we get a better understanding of “famous”, since all I see is an average butt covering up a nice honey brown Brooks.:lol:

Are those building over your left shoulder private homes? Those weren't there when I lived on the island. !

The photos on the left were just built over the past several years; they are 10,000 square foot mansions built on lots formerly occupied by smaller houses.

Here's the Zillow listing for one of the houses you can see in the photo; Zillow values it at $7.3 million:

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2045-Faben-Dr-Mercer-Island-WA-98040/66648880_zpid/

I've posted a number of shots from this bridge here before, including this one from the winter of 2008, looking east:

http://i54.tinypic.com/2qxxhts.jpg

This one of the bike in the "famous" photo before I switched to bar ends, looking west:

http://i52.tinypic.com/w6qph4.jpg

I just made it a little more famous via my FB page. :)

So what did you replace the bike with--After you were famous?

Wow, imagine actually seeing other cyclists as you ride to work; what a concept!

Shocking...... a sunny day in Seattle.

Nice image BengeBoy, although I'm just not getting the "famous butt" thing. Perhaps you could cut and paste some of the bloggers comments so we get a better understanding of “famous”, since all I see is an average butt covering up a nice honey brown Brooks.:lol:

Um...how 'bout infamous butt?:p

Shocking...... a sunny day in Seattle.

Hey, watch it! I get enough of that cr*p all the time about *my* lovely home town. Feh! ;)

And, yes, looking good BengeBoy!

Nice image BengeBoy, although I'm just not getting the "famous butt" thing. Perhaps you could cut and paste some of the bloggers comments so we get a better understanding of “famous”, since all I see is an average butt covering up a nice honey brown Brooks.:lol:
Now A.Jet, I think you're being awfully "cheeky" in declaring BengeBoy's butt "average." I think it looks just swell and is nicely accentuated by the Brooks. What's more, at least BengeBoy does not wear underwear on top of his shorts, like some people we know! :innocent:

So what did you replace the bike with--After you were famous?

This is my current commuter -- the Boedie that I first posted about here in October 2009. Here's an early photo of it. Right now it's covered in dirt and mud. I have put about 3,600 miles on it since it was new; it's a great bike:

http://i34.tinypic.com/6rj31f.jpg

Now A.Jet, I think you're being awfully "cheeky" in declaring BengeBoy's butt "average." I think it looks just swell and is nicely accentuated by the Brooks. What's more, at least BengeBoy does not wear underwear on top of his shorts, like some people we know! :innocent:

I'm sure he'll be the butt of a few jokes, but there will also be some who will be mooning over the photo. Well, enough of the wisecracks.

Love that bike.

I'm sure he'll be the butt of a few jokes, but there will also be some who will be mooning over the photo. Well, enough of the wisecracks.

Yes, maybe we should just can it. Let's put this behind us.

D^&*, was expecting lycra at least.

Yes, maybe we should just can it. Let's put this behind us.

Seems like we are getting a little cheeky around here.

Yes, maybe we should just can it. Let's put this behind us.

Well played, Miss K.

And at least I can say I knew him before he got famous!

Well played, Miss K.
Thanks, I get a bum wrap at home for being corny. However, I'm ashamed one innocent photo tukis down this path.

Stop, You big ham!

Thanks, I get a bum wrap at home for being corny. However, I'm ashamed one innocent photo tukis down this path.

It wasn't me. My pragmatic comments were only in response to claims made by the OP.;)

At least the pic was in daytime, and not of a full moon.

At least the pic was in daytime, and not of a full moon.

:lol::lol::lol:

At least the pic was in daytime, and not of a full moon.
I'm not going to comment. I will not comment. I will not make another pun, no more butt puns from my arsenal. Now I've hit rock bottom.


Ah, Geez, every time I think I'm out, they suck me back in.

I'm not going to comment. I will not comment. I will not make another pun, no more butt puns from my arsenal. Now I've hit rock bottom.


Ah, Geez, every time I think I'm out, they suck me back in.

you dont want to make an a$$ of yourself :lol: :D

you dont want to make an a$$ of yourself :lol: :D

I dare say it's too late to change that.:o

No, this thread has hit rock bottom, but that's what we like about BF - everything from useful information to frivolity. It ain't all about the torque spec on your bottom bracket.

No, this thread has hit rock bottom, but that's what we like about BF - everything from useful information to frivolity. It ain't all about the torque spec on your bottom bracket.

I don't know, Rick, the torque spec on my bottom bracket is pretty important to me. That's why I work-out. :lol:

Where would this tread be if the OP asked how his position on the saddle looked?

Has anyone noticed the OP has completely disassociated himself from this thread? Here our BengeBoy was generous enough to share his photograph with us; a photo that may well bring him national or even international fame for his endeavors as a cyclist, and we have reduced that to hiney jokes. I feel just awful. My apologies, BengeBoy. Now I hope this is the tail end of this nonsense.:D

And I thought Allegheny Jet was attempting an end run

Not sure you will ever live this one down. At least you are famous for something.

Has anyone noticed the OP has completely disassociated himself from this thread?

I'm still here. Basking in the glow of my meager fame.

I'll betcha' even the frame is double butted.

Has anyone noticed the OP has completely disassociated himself from this thread? Here our BengeBoy was generous enough to share his photograph with us; a photo that may well bring him national or even international fame for his endeavors as a cyclist, and we have reduced that to hiney jokes. I feel just awful. My apologies, BengeBoy. Now I hope this is the tail end of this nonsense.:D

Ba da bum ...... come on back, She be here all week, tell your friends, too, Just for the Ms. Atilla the pun show.

Bill ; )