FULL Bicycle Shorts
The other day, Deb wrote a post, with this picture:
As my ex-boss is an avid mountain biker, I forwarded it to him and commented on his choice of biking attire. Our email conversation went like this (I had to cut/paste to remove the email information as we were both on our work systems) :
Me: I wonder if this is why I've only ever seen you in BLACK cycling shorts?!
Mark: Not only not red, I also wear baggies these days. Baggies are de rigueur and anyone turning up with lycra gets the customary exclamation of "Au Contraire" (explained below).
Me: Hahahahahahahahahahahaha but I thought the tighties kept everything from being pounded into mincemeat by the saddle....or do you wear some sort of foundation garment beneath the baggies :) Enquiring minds need to know!
Mark: Yes, although we don't call it a foundation garment, we call it a liner. It's a mesh, tight-fitting version of the tight bike shorts, it keeps everything in its place, and has a chamois under the bum for padding. Being mesh keeps you cool and probably looks even more interesting than the lycra shorts.
Me: I see. It sounds interesting - well with the leather and lace going on like that, why bother with the 'overcoat'?? ;)
Mark: Yes, I must remember to call my liner a 'Foundation Undergarment Leather and Lace'. In US military speak it forms the acronym FULL and you can strut when you FILL them.
Me: LOL....I like that ;)
Mark: So when someone enquires "How are you?", I can say "FULL.
Me: of?
Mark: Just FULL of it.
Me: I'm so tempted to expand the 'it' word....but I'll behave and say....you'll be known as the It Boy ;)
The reference to "Au Contraire" comes from a time Mark was interviewed by the newspaper here and was quoted as saying "au contraire" to a comment by the journalist. Everyone who knows him just cracked up because he'd NEVER be that much of a poser. But we all do love to tease him with it. And so it has become a rallying cry for his cycling group and is oft quoted back to him by me, when he says something I don't agree with!
I do miss working with him. And he says the same about me.
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9 comments:
Doesn't leave alot to the imagination does it?
Too funny.
Fiona - he sounds like a great boss to have had and yes I bet he really is full of IT ;-)
Nice to see you have other things on your mind.......... as well as food!-)
That's very funny!
My ex-h1 did a fitness instructors course back in the days of lycra for men in the gym (ewww!).
One of the important things they were taught during the course was "how to pack your lunch"...hehe
Back in my mid twenties I did a lot of cycling but lycra had not been invented to the best of my knowledge. The cycling shorts of the time were black, wool and a soft leather patch in the entire crotch area, just below the mid belly to the top of your butt crack as well as on both sides down a few inches on the inner thigh.
You did not wear "foundation" garments ... i.e. - no underwear ... as the leatcher was very absorbent to gather the sweat that would form.
Although it sounds very uncomfortable, they were extrememly comfortable and not hot for riding
I think it is wonderful when we can have a relationship with coworkers, that we can joke with them...sadly...that doesn't seem to happen enough anymore.
Hafta say...don't really like lycra on men...or women for that matter...methinks I enjoy the thought of the baggies, with the mesh foundation garment *VBS*
I'm sorry. I know that there are words to accompany this picture but, for some reason, I can't seem to read them.
That picture is HILARIOUS! Thank you for a much needed belly laugh!
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