Becomming a man...

I have always wanted to get a tattoo. In fact, it has been on my list of things to do for the last few years. Despite this, some things keep getting in the way and prevent me from putting my money where my mouth is. Firstly, my friends keep getting one. This means that I have to put my tattoo off, as I would only appear to be copying them and don’t want to look like I am just doing it to be the same. Secondly, I can never think of what to get.

I don’t want to just choose one out of a catalogue like an 18 year old girl celebrating schoolies at Valley Ink. Nor do I want to be a person that chooses something then tries to come up with some obscure significance or meaning. Also, I don’t want one that looks like crap either!

Last weekend on my birthday, I made a passing comment about wanting to get a tattoo to a friend of mine. He said that he was thinking of getting one as well and within the hour, we were at the tattoo parlor to book a consultation. We were told to return with any ideas or suggestions that we had and print some stuff out if we could.

For the next 4 hours, we researched tattoo designs to find some inspiration. I had some ideas that I wanted to include. Firstly, I wanted to have something to do with a bike. Unfortunately, most bike tattoos that I have seen are either huge, lame or involve getting a chainring mark tattooed on your leg so I wasn’t expecting to find anything.

Secondly, I wanted to incorporate the sun from the Philippine flag to pay homage to the origin of my extreme tan lines. Thirdly, I wanted to incorporate a swallow, which can traditionally represent a partner for life (as swallows do) and always returning home.

I was not expecting to incorporate all three things into a design but I told Sam (the tattoo guy) my ideas and he said he will come up with a design. He took an outline of my shoulder for an idea of size and now  I’m currently waiting for the final design to be done.

I am booked in to become a man on the 22^nd December and Sam has estimated that the size of the design will take up to 6hrs in the chair. He was a bit worried that I may not be able to handle that long in one sitting as I have never had it done before. We’ll see about that.

Triathlete vs Cyclist

With a few days off work this week, the Wife and I went up the coast to have a couple of days in the sun. We arrived in the aftermath of the Noosa triathlon and there were still many people hanging around, clinging on to the weekend that was.

I managed to convince Emily to bring her road bike with her and even more surprising was the fact that I got her to go for a ride with me! We cruised up along the coast from Coolum to Noosa and along the way we past a constant stream of cyclists.

As we rode, Emily made a wild statement: 'I think triathletes are a lot friendlier than cyclists.' I asked her to please explain.

Emily claimed that whenever we rode past a triathlete, they would smile and wave but cyclists wouldn't even look at us. I said she was crazy but decided to put it to the test anyway.

Emily was right. More often than not, those riding a triathlon bike with deep dish wheels, ankle socks and tri-bars would smile and wave. Whilst those that were on a plain road bike would look straight ahead and not even flinch.

Is this phenomenon true? Are cyclists really assholes when compared with triathletes? There must be an explanation.

 

Perhaps it is because it is easier for triathletes to wave when resting on the aerobars than for cyclists to take their hands off their bars?

Perhaps it's because triathletes get do lonely riding by themselves so much that they will wave at anyone?

Perhaps it's because cyclists are competitive and don't want to acknowledge their competition out on the road?

Perhaps it's because triathletes don't compete and do mass participation events so they are friendly with everyone around them?

Perhaps it's because triathletes don't ride hard enough and are want to start a conversation with someone?

I'm sure there is an explanation.