what to wear

this is the last post for the night, i swear...

i was just reading this excellent post (from another blogrouter) on wearing your work clothes on your bike commute.

i commend folks who wear their street clothes, but this post is full of excuses on why i can't do that.

i wear my tighty blackies on my rather short (4.25 miles one way) but pretty hilly commute because i have an "indoor" job and need to not only look presentable but smell presentable.

my work clothes get to work either in my bag or occasionally i'll do a run in the car during the weekend if i'm prepared enough, but that's usually a sunday for monday thing since i'm not that organized.

i keep towels and extensive toiletries (a full toiletry kit with makeup, hair stuff, shampoo, you name it) at work and take a shower in our very nice shower.

all i have to do is brush the ol' teeth before i leave for work. nice.

there are folks in my neighborhood - two to be exact - who dress in suits for their bike commutes, but i just can't bring myself to do that.

reasons why i just can't wear my street clothes on my bike commute:

yes, i need to race everyone and everything. that means traffic lights, cars, other people on bikes, to name a few.

my hair is large and curly and requires gelling WHILE it's wet. you don't want my hair to look "like a zulu" (as my grandma would say) at work, do you?

"outdoor smell" is hard to get out - even if i went, say, 10 mph, the outdoor smell still permeates the clothing. this is the same smell that indicates that my husband has been driving with the windows down

girl clothes are tricky - i need to wear pretty clothes and many of my outfits don't work on a bike

so there. those are my excuses.