1. If your triathlon training buddy falls off her bike while standing still in the parking lot and almost takes you out with her, laughing will not convince her cyclist husband to take both of you seriously.
2. It probably isn't appropriate to laugh at your friend no matter how funny it is and instead of helping her up, to point out that if you had been clipped in you also would have fallen over too without a doubt. This may cause further laughter from the both of you which will not make her husband take you any more seriously.
3. The terms "easier gear" and "harder gear" are not the correct terms for the gears on a racing bike but they are very clear. Calling the gear that makes it easier to pedal "The Big Easy" because it is the physically larger gear is also clear.
   
4. Going for your first bike ride on a somewhat busy street after previously only riding around school parking lots can be a little intimidating, even if the street is the actual course for the triathlon in which you will be racing next month. Unfortunately in MA there's a severe shortage of sidewalks
5. Pot holes that are annoying when driving a car are down right scary when on a bike
6. You might seriously wonder if you will be more hurt going over the pothole or getting hit by a car. Then you'll realize that it is most likely that the two will happen simultaneously
7. You may find yourself with new found respect and awareness for bicyclists and their abilities to the point that you may take a detour when back in your car to avoid passing a cyclist
8. Although it is common practice in Massachusetts for those driving cars to drive while practically touching the car in front of them, it is dangerous and bad driving etiquette. Although it is common practice for inexperienced cyclists to leave a car length's space between the bicycle in front of them, it is dangerous, because it increases the risk of being hit by a car, and bad cycling etiquette. The correct cycling etiquette is for your tires to practically be touching.
   
9. Wearing any sort of loose pants like oh say your gray sweatpants over your biking shorts is a really really bad idea. Being a little self-conscious about how you look in bike pants is better than spending the entire ride worried that one of the times that your sweatpants got caught in the spokes of your bike may send you flying over the handles of your bike resulting in pain and self-consciousness
10. I really still can't believe this, but fear of death, potholes, cars, and caught sweatpants do not increase the number of calories burned during the bicycling. I know!
11. If you spend much of the ride trying to remember to avoid potholes, cars, and spokes while keeping up with your friend and practicing shifting your gears, the course will be over before you know it

Labels: Exercise and Fitness, Humor (at least Attempted)