Coffee, business suit, commute... what could be more normal?
Mayor Tom Barrett was unable to lead the annual Bike to Work with the Mayor ride this year because he was invited to the White House for a state dinner. Heck, I’d have skipped the ride to hang with the president. The Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin was quick to improvise a “Power Suit Ride” at the last-minute. The twenty or so people who showed up had a great time and looked fabulous.
Bunkie and Larry did us all proud.
The ride offered a prize of a New Belgium Cruiser to the best dressed rider. The competition was fierce, but Larry Weingarten edged out Bunkie Miller for the win. Bunkie wore a spring dress and matching heels, but Larry somehow coordinated his suit and tie with his bike, from the paint and fenders to the grips, he had it all dialed. Maybe next year we will have a prize for women and men. While I did like the completeness of Larry’ look, it was hard to judge against heels and a dress.
This woman on the Electra Amsterdam coincidentally joined our ride for three blocks because we were headed the same way. When I commented that she had on the right outfit for our ride, she shrugged and said "I'm biking to work. What else would I wear?" NATCH!
Bunkie told me she had a dress that better matched her bike and bag, but the fabric was too heavy for the heat. Interesting how cyclists think about coordinating their outfit with their ride. Perhaps that is left over from the practice of matching racing team kits and team bikes. I wore a light-weight suit for the ride and was a little damp by the time I got to my office, but not totally sweaty, despite the heat and humidity. My office is in an air conditioned building, and I have a little fan on my desk to speed the cooling process. I also keep some gel hand sanitizer at work, but I did not find it necessary to use it yesterday. I can clean up with the sanitizer and avoid funking up the office air if I get really sweaty on the commute to work.
Allen Edmunds v. heels, hmmm, hard to declare a winner.
The heat was a factor in how we dressed just as rain or cold are, but the way to work is mostly downhill and coasting is cooler than standing still. All in all it was a good time. We were joined by Alderman Kovac, Jeff Polenske ( the City Engineer) and even one woman on an Electra Amsterdam in a great outfit who just happened to be rolling the same direction. She was not dressed for our ride, just dressed for work.
Dave,
I wouldn’t have known about the ride, but for this blog, so thanks! I agree about the difficulty in judging.against heels and a dress. The only thing I can add is what I told Bunkie: I think I suffered more for my “look.”
Larry, I saw on jsonline last night. Way to represent! BTW, I almost died of heat exhaustion just looking at you. Luckily my boss (me) let’s me wear a t-shirt and shorts.
D’
I’m curious if wearing a tie is required at most places of employment?
It must make bike commuting an unpopular thing to do in the summer.
I don’t really know, but I highly doubt it. In some sectors it seems to be more common, finance. banking. I, for one, hadn’t worn a suit or even a tie, to work since I interviewed here over a year ago. At my previous job, at Aurora Health Care, I wore a tie regularly, and sometimes a suit. It didn’t preclude bike commuting.
Most engineers in my office wear ties each day. Not always a full suit, but a dress shirt and slacks with a tie.
Much credit to you fashionable types, especially with this week’s heat. I remain grateful for the showers here at work…and for this blog. Biking to work is becoming my new normal.
I entered the raffle for my bike because it matched my skirt.
Still haven’t found shorts to go under the skirt so I can ride in it though.
Good thing you weren’t in NY.
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/06/12/2011-06-12_cop_said_my_outfit_was_wheely_too_hot_to_ride.html