One of the city's more fashionable pelotons made its way through Washington on Sunday. (Credit: Voiland)
In Washington, droves of dapper dandies and bonnie quaintrelles donned caps and pearls--and plenty of tweed--as they took to the streets for a Sunday jaunt on their bicycles.
Even as they wound their way through the hurly-burley of downtown city traffic, the cycling fashionistas seemed entirely immersed in a late-19th-century state of mind. Knickers, britches, and suspenders were the norm. And not a smidgen of spandex or lycra appeared on the 200-plus crowd of wheelmen and women.
All manner of vintage bicycles appeared during the outing, including the occasional penny-farthing and tandem. One particularly exuberant dandy even jogged the route wearing "power stilts" crafted out of what appeared to be bicycle components.
The cyclists, a generally gracious and amicable lot, greeted each other--and curious onlookers--with waves, tips of their caps, and pleasantries about the Queen and the lovely weather. In most cases, pedestrians and motorists seemed to find these dandies and quanitrelles quite charming, though, at points, especially in the vicinity of Dupont Circle, a few irritated motorists scoffed and honked as riders streamed through red lights and delayed traffic.
In perhaps the ride's most climactic moment, a series of huzzah's swelled through a crowd of riders posing near the White House. Overall, it was, most of the dandies and quaintrelles seemed to agree, quite a smashing way to spend a Sunday.
Ta-ta, for now, tally-ho!
More on rides from the Bicycle Transportation Examiner
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