Here's a story from Patti Z. that involves an incident at Iowa City's pancake breakfast:

On a bright sunny Monday morning, Alex and I headed down to College Green Park to partake in the Bike to Work Week breakfast. After talking with folks, I headed over to fill out a slip for the drawing. As I leaned over the box, I heard a popping sound and voices going "OOOOhhhhhh" I felt something sticky running down my arm. People rushed over with towels and sounds of more exclamation.


Apparently the guy behind me was putting maple syrup on his pancakes and he missed. Or maybe, somehow the lid malfunctioned and the maple syrup landed all over me instead of on his plate. On my brand new Life is Good shirt. (the one I'd been thinking that I shouldn't really wear to work because it would get all dirty). I had maple syrup from elbow to knee, front and back, pants and shirt. It missed the holes in my shoes. One sticky mess.

Anyway - everyone was wiping me down (useless with dry paper towels, that only stuck to the mess). They offered me a new shirt. A day glow green Bike to Work shirt - only size larges were left though. One guy offered to have all the tall guys stand in a circle to guard me while I changed clothes.


The helpers were all great. I saw the photographer and said “I think this earns me a photograph don’t you?” He promptly agreed. I teased them and said "That's the last time I'll ever bike to work." Not true of course, since I bike almost daily. Today is actually my day off work anyway.


I had my two pancakes (without syrup, thank you) and we started to head back home to wash out the sticky mess. As we rode off, the mayor said "Watch out for those flies."


patti zwick