Fifty Plus (50+) - Holiday Chick Magnet

Those of you that know me know that my bike is usually equipped with a “chick magnet.” A colorful pinwheel fastened to the rear rack. When I first put it on over a decade ago, I hadn't ridden more than two miles when a sweet young thing overtaking from behind said, “I love your pinwheel!” It's been a conversation starter – usually with women – ever since.

Well, I managed to break it off this past summer and haven’t gotten around to repairing it, but I found something that apparently works just as well.

I was on my weekend bike ride this New Year’s Eve, riding up the hill from the Delaware River at Washington’s Crossing, when I spotted a festive looking doll like thing in a sewer grate. So I stopped, backtracked, picked it up and stuck it in my pannier looking out the back.

I continued riding in the shoulder up the hill to a flat spot when a big black SUV passed me and stopped. Hmmm… It didn’t pull over, just stopped in the middle of the road. Pretty soon the flashers came on. I tend to get a little apprehensive in situations like this. But I thought, it could be the couple I talked to on the tow path who were riding to their car at the Washington’s Crossing parking lot. In any case, I kept on going, and pretty soon was even with the SUV. Although it’s hard to see through the heavily tinted glass, I was pretty sure there were no bikes inside and I didn’t recognize the people so I kept on going and passed a woman and dog coming the other way. I said (still having no clue what the SUV was up to), do these people want to talk to you?!? Just then the SUV pulled up beside me with the window down and the two women in the car said, “We just wanted to check out your elf.”

Happy New Year to All!

Ed



232043

Elf? Is that a new name for one's tush??

Interesting idea. I pass by a cyclist occasionally who has what appears to be a rubber giraffe attached to his handlebars. Same concept perhaps? I've got a dragon with glasses and a cowboy hat who who would look kinda fun poking out of a seatbag. I had him in my camera bag at a renfest a couple of years back, but dragons are common there.

Yes - on the touring mailing list many years ago there was a woman named Judy who had a mascot named Rufus that she always had on her bike. I forget what kind of animal it was, but it seemed to lead to a lot of conversations which led to the idea that you should have something distinctive on your bike that identifies you! We were driving to the start of the Erie Canal Ride in 2000 and stopped at a rest stop where they were selling "junk," including pinwheels which I thought would be pretty easy to attach to the rear rack.

- Ed

I'm afraid that if I put either a pinwheel or an elf on my bike, Mrs. Grouch would immediately figure I was up to something and divorce me on general principles.

An Elf, is that similar to a Milf?

I wear a Santa hat on my helmet during the December. I think it's a good safety item because people see it and respond favorably.