Just Another Cager

Last week I rode my bike to work five days in a row. I had decided to put in a full week of bike commuting, regardless of weather, or any other considerations, and just get some spinning in.

Having made that decision early in the week made it quite easy to get going in the mornings. There was none of the usual hemming and hawing about whether or not to ride. I just got up, put on the shorts, loaded up the messenger bag and took off.

I felt good about it.

This week, however, events are conspiring to keep me from riding. I've had things to haul, far-flung errands, etc. And, I feel...guilty.

I have driven to work the past two days, feeling vaguely as if I'm doing something wrong. I find myself looking away from motorcyclists and bicyclists so that I don't meet their eyes. I almost want to put on a mask so that they can't see my face.

And this is all because I know how they see me; just another jerk in a 4-wheel drive truck, doing the zombie shuffle down the road while they live in the open air. They see me the way I usually see guys like me.

Just another cager.