Jacques of all Trades

Random thoughts from the morning commute: 11/8/11

• As I’m continuing my first year as a bike commuter (and beginning my first winter as such), I’m realizing there are a lot of pieces that are necessary for success in the endeavor.  Some are fairly obvious, like gloves, and windbreaking jackets and pants — the latter of which I still need to get.  Others are less obvious, such as the sunglasses that I fortunately grabbed on the way out of the house, and that were very necessary in the immediate post-daylight savings time glow.  
• No progress to report on “Operation 1600 Pennsylvania Smile,” as the two Secret Service officers I said good morning to did not respond. On the other hand, I got to see the first dog out for a walk on the White House grounds.  Bo was strutting around like he owns the place, which like most family pets, he probably does.
• I saw one of the most interesting people I’ve ever seen in my short bike commuting career.  He was a middle-aged man who looked like he had been plucked directly from the 1980s, riding a Mongoose single-speed (which I think is technically a fixed-gear, but might not fit the hipster definition).  He was wearing a red-with-a-white-stripe puffy jacket that could have been worn by Chevy Chase in any number of movies. And I could be wrong, but he appeared to be wearing Zubaz.  And his helmet (hat) was backwards.  Also, his bike had a child trailer that was carrying a roller suitcase, though that’s not particularly 80s.