What’s the strangest request you’ve ever gotten while riding?

[5555624]

Although I am guessing JustinW used the spoons and forks, as tire levers, in his office, maybe he carries eating utensils on his rides. This reminds me of something I’ve been meaning to ask:

What’s the strangest request you’ve ever gotten while riding?

For me, for the longest time, it was the guy who had walked out of a garden apartment, while I was riding down the street and asked me if I had a can opener. Last year, however, he was eclipsed by the guy I rode past, who asked me if I had a set of jumper cables.

Topic

[DaveK]

I was riding home past the Capitol in road biking gear (bibs and jersey) and a very nice Indian tourist asked me to take a picture. Not of him, with him. Somewhere on Facebook there’s an Indian profile with a confused-looking guy on a road bike standing with a tourist in front of the Capitol.

[jrenaut]

@DaveK 4178 wrote:

I was riding home past the Capitol in road biking gear (bibs and jersey) and a very nice Indian tourist asked me to take a picture. Not of him, with him. Somewhere on Facebook there’s an Indian profile with a confused-looking guy on a road bike standing with a tourist in front of the Capitol.

Your picture is probably tagged “Lance Armstrong”.

[DaveK]

@jrenaut 4179 wrote:

Your picture is probably tagged “Lance Armstrong”.

There’s not enough EPO in the world to make that a viable comparison.

[acc]

This was just one of those bizarre moments where you swear you’ve entered an alternate universe. I was huffing and puffing my way back to Vienna, punishing myself more than riding. It was hot, the sun was setting and I simply could not make it all the way back without stopping. I won’t tell you how far I was riding a year ago, it’s too humiliating. I typically do not stop where there are several men, I want to drink my water and be left in peace but I was beyond my level of endurance. Besides, they were off their bikes and smoking, so how scary could they be? I get off Spartacus and grab my water (I could not stay upright and drink water simultaneously at that time). I looked at the dudes and decided to take an assertive stance and said, “Dudes, cigarettes — seriously?” Without missing a beat Dude #1 offers me his cigarette, I declined. “Another time perhaps.” I replied. Dude #2 says, “Same time next week? We’ll bring the vodka.” I said the only thing I could think of as I was jumping on Spartacus, “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

[StopMeansStop]

Do you have any Grey Poupon?

[Author]

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