Cicadas! Envelop!

September 13, 2013

Saying hello from under helmet in echoey shelter.

Saying goodbye and thanks for the lift at the bike rack.

These were my summary notes based on my cicada experience which ensued 1 week and 1 day ago.  Oh that heady day of 2-wheeling noisiness!  Cicadas are about as ubiquitous as short shorts these days.  I was riding along following my picnicking at a Lincoln park when a loud buzzing next to my ear startled me out of my complacent smilingness.  “Yawahah!?” I exclaimed!

I shook the critter out of my helmet.  It perched contentedly on my pannier 

until I had arrived forthwith at the city campus of UNLiness where I resumed my demanding role of self-appointed bike czar (locking up my bike and heading into the Student Union guzzle caffeinated beverages and skim multiple texts haphazardly).  The cicada flew off once I lifted the pannier lid and as far as I know is living here happily ever since.  

This episode raised many questions?  For instance:  

1. What will become of Omaha’s beloved bike czar since the new mayoress has assumed the throne?
2. Don’t these people playing Magic - the Gathering in the Student Union have jobs or studying or something?  If not, maybe they should go clean their rooms because I bet they are messy?  Or get outside and LARP a little?

Since I am now freely roaming the halls of academia, I conducted some research, and I shall now present the results of this research in regards to the aforementioned questions thusly:  Whaa?

Here is a photo of the bicycle-related club who was out in the grassy area known as the Selleck Quadrangle, but affectionately reefered to by students and faculties alike as “the wrangle.”:

As you may know, UNL has been honored with the silver-medal of Bicycle-Friendly Campusness by the League of American Bicyclists.  As glorious as this designation is, the bicyclers at UNL would like to attain gold level this year by adding some painted-in or signage-adorned bike routes/lanes in the upcoming futureness.  

“Good job!” I enthusiastically congratulated these co-czars.  I attempted to explain/assert my grandiose status as self-appointed czar, but was politely ignored as the attendants turned to address more comely and more femaley students with an interest in bicycling.

Cicadas make a lot of noise.  It's kind of their thing.  But what, you are undoubtedly asking, was Mel Torme's kind of thing?  Sure he could croon, but check out this video.  He's scattin' like Rex Allen yodels!  And that ain't no shibbity-poinkety-poink, cicada-baita!