Flogging Molly

We pedaled the hipster bikes down to Irish Fair in Saint Paul last night to take in the Flogging Molly concert. It was a very good show, just as expected... lots of energy from the band and the crowd. Thousands of people filled Harriet Island for the show. Kay and I were well back in the crowd, though there were plenty of people behind us. Late in FM's set we grabbed the bikes and took in the view from behind the band, up on the walking path. From there we had a great view of the the whole scene, including the pit, where it was confirmed that moshing is a young person's game.

We pedaled home via downtown Saint Paul and Grand Avenue. Stopped for a beer and a late appie at The Nook on Hamline. Never been there before, its a cool place.

That Damn Bike

Someone I know told me about an exchange between a manager and one of her direct reports. It was about another co-worker that I will call Ludwig, who does a combo bike/bus commute to his job. One day earlier this week, Ludwig had to leave work unexpectedly to deal with a situation at home. Ludwig's bus doesn't run very often outside of commute hours, so Ludwig's spouse had to pick him and his bike up and give him a ride in the car. The salient part of the discussion went something like this:

Manager: I can't believe that Ludwig pedals that damn bike to work. Now this situation happens and his wife has to pick him up.

Manager's Direct Report: Yeah, and he even got hit by a car twice pedaling that damn bike to work.

Of course, my friend who overhears all of this also commutes to work by bicycle. At this time, his bicycle is next to his desk in plain view. This whole exchange is wrong on so many levels:

- 1: Talking about a co-worker behind his back.

- 2: Marginalizing Ludwig's choice to pedal to work.

- 3: Implying that Ludwig was responsible for being hit because he pedals to work. My friend knows the circumstances of both collisions, Ludwig was not at fault in either case.

- 4: Taking a passive-aggressive jab at my friend, who was not part of the conversation. (This did happen in Minnesota and the people involved are card carrying native Minnesotans, compete with cabins).