Monday, June 25, 2007

The Thrill Is Gone

Okay, I admit it, bikinis are hot. And I admit it, I've been known to ride down to the beach just to check out the latest bikini styles. But that was in my 20's. Nearly a decade away.

So, I found myself heading to the rail at Avila today, looking to take a peek, but the rail was all of the sudden off limits, cuz as I looked out across the sand, I had a reality check, or two.

First, I'm old. However, that ain't that bad. Plus, I look better than half the 20 something males with beer guts rolling in the sand. But something about the thought of being that middle-aged man gawking at girls, well it has a cold shower effect. Reminds me of cruising down to the beach in Capitola with Hubes, doing the bikini check, and he points out a very stylish two piece on a little sun worshiper. But when she got up, it was clear that she was little. Twelve maybe. Chris tried to blame it on his old eyes (maybe 35), but he'll never live that one down. And now, my eyes are older, and, well, shudder to think I make the same poor gawking judgement call.

But I could just about live with the middle-aged thing. After all, one of the first rides I did last year when I moved back was an Avila rail ride. What as different this time was job-related, damn it. It hit me that there were students down there. Students who might see me in a classroom.

Hi, my name is Dr. ...

Wait, do you ride bikes?

Um yeah, but let's talk about the course this...

Yeah, don't you ride down to Avila a lot?

Um, err, I meet a group for a ride there.

I never saw you with a group, just with all the other gawkers.


I've learned how to handle running into students in a bar. After all, you can go to a bar and not gawk. Really, you can. But the sidewalk rail at Avila is a gawker rail. No two ways about it.

So now, rides to Avila have no stops. It's still a nice ride, though. Really.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Jesus have you SEEN some of the girls in bikinis at those beaches??? Trust me, it's not worth trying to scope out the good ones if you have to comb your eyes through layers of belly rolls and flabby underarms to get there.

like I always say, some clothes should only come in certain sizes.

Kimberly (aka. DrKim) said...

You know...I have the same issues. One time a guy rode up to me in a group ride, and said one of my 'students' was in the back--sure enough some undergrad was on the group ride. My big fear is that I won't remember them...becuase you know I'm getting old myself and having 100 students in a class...they all kind of merge into one after awhile. And then I wonder what shyte I might have been talking...that someone who knows me in my other world might hear! And then i remember I don't care! And I just keep on ridin...


t. marie: you're really funny...and I have thought the exact same thing!

dr-nitro said...

In College Station, Texas, I was pretty sure that they only sold one size of clothing for women. One outfit for that matter. And that style was not a fit for the deep fried southern diet.

But as for students on a ride, that triggers my testosterone. FIrst time it happened, I heard professor Theobald from behind, and low and behold, it was a student. Some say that that was one of the fastest Wednesday night rides in Lawrence, KS. I rode myself inside out until the kid was dropped. Little ego have I. I seem to recall that the kid dropped my class too.

profkim said...

I like to drop the students, too! And they're always men...and it does a significant amount for my ego if I can drop a kid at least 10-15 years younger than me in a sprint on a group ride :). I get a much better workout that way, too!

Fun fun fun....

Itinerant Rick said...

Ahhh, the pains of aging. I have a few years on you and have felt that pain of your realization for yours. Ahh, to be young again ....

But lots o'truth in the words of Ms. T. Marie. Thought about that last week as I soaked in the radioactive hot springs while Ms. Chatterbox got mauled by the masseuse; too much extra skin showing around that pool.

jAndy donka-donk said...

screw bikini's

does Avila still have that nude strip?

When I used to care about tanline I was a regular naked book reader...

imagine bumping into a student there...