What's in a name?

This Friday has been a wild rollercoaster thus far. I blame it on the amount of coffee I sucked down at Breakfast on the Bridge this morning—which was a huge success. 

J and I rode off after Colleen told me about some of her more ambitious plans (which I support!). Running a few minutes late to work, I accidentally scooted myself and the bike onto an elevator in front of three folks who were already waiting. 

Oops.

(Did I mention I have a lot of anxiety about putting my bike on the elevator? I feel I have every right to do it. If you could park your mode of transportation in your office, you probably would too. It's just one of MANY bicycle commuter perks.)

I apologized to the one lady who actually got on with me. The other two scoffed and grabbed the next one. Apparently it was rude, as the woman said. I apologized, explaining that my bike fit best in the back. The insurance lady didn't seem to care for my explanation.

What followed was traditional Catholic guilt; I felt I should apologize further for my behavior. I was running late, and they weren't really paying attention. In the end though, I don't care if they don't like my bike in the elevator. Quite frankly, I don't really like their cars on the road, but they still have a covered, safe place to park them. My office, accessed via the elevator, is the covered, safe place I park my bicycle. I'll try to be more polite, but I have waited (three elevators) for my share of elevators before being able to fit my bicycle on. AND I have taken the stairs down from the seventh floor with my bicycle. Take that.

After that morning chaos, I was greeted by... the FEDEX man! Finally, my panniers have arrived. I excitedly ripped them out of the box and took one for a test run on my lunch break! I can't wait to use them for more heavy-duty transporting—and camping. They're REALLY big, and I want to find a little bag to fit inside for my personal things/phone, wallet, etc. Check back for a review!


I've also been searching for a name for my Bianchi. J thinks it's silly to name objects; BikeSnobNYC thinks it's also silly to "love" your bicycle. Really, he said, you really love the activity and the joys it brings—not the machine itself... or something like that.

Regardless, I've always named my bicycles. First, Ellie the Jamis, my Coda commuter. Then her sister, Billie the mountain bike, which is more of a cave dweller hanging out in my closet these days. And now, this beautiful Bianchi Volpe, the most recent addition to my bicycle "family." 

 

Betty the Bianchi? Victoria the Volpe? Foxy? She rides more like a Betty or Bettina, or Beatrice. Beaty. Lulu? She's good for hauling lots of heavy things, with a range of gears appropriate for long-distance (!!!) touring. 

Do you name your bicycles? Have any suggestions for what I should name the Bianchi?