So, while I was riding the MS150 out there on the rode to Vermillion, battling the wind, you think about a lot of things. I was finding that I hate the wind and bananas but I found out something very interesting. What is that you are asking? Well, it seems it is almost impossible to do the farmers wave while riding a bike. A farmers wave? What is a farmers wave you ask? Well, it is a unique wave that we do out here in the midwest. As two vehicles approach each other from opposite directions on a two-lane road the fellow motorist will lift a index finger off the steering wheel and give a little waggle or sometime no movement just an erect finger and then expecting the same from the other motorist. Now, this is not to be mistaken with the one finger salute, the naughty one, or someone telling you are number one, but a polite gesture that is is not uncommon for people to give each other in our part of the country. It is kind of a hi, how you doing type of thing.
So imagine yourself on the bike with both hands on the top part of the handlebars and trying to give a farmers wave to an approaching motorist. I tried to do it a few times be decided I better quit for fear they might think I had some sort of strange disorder and needed help or they saw me laugh at trying to do this and would have sent me directly to therapy! I am sure it is pretty comical seeing someone in the open highway, twitching their index finger and laughing......
August 15, 2008
Farmer's wave........
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2 comments:
aww, the farmer's wave. I'd forgotten about that. I've been away from the midwest too long.
Buuut, the other day I was hurting in the middle of a 3-minute interval when a car approaches on the side street. I was too tired to actually take my hand off the drops, so she got a weak little four-finger lift off the handlebars for waiting for me to clear the intersection. It felt pretty ridiculous.
I still get the "wave" and always return it. When someone in a motor vehicle gives me a break, I grab my front visor and tip it, like a tip of the hat. Most folks smile at that one!
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