The photo above, a hyperbolic depiction of the sag wagon even on its original website, gets well at the possible burden of cleaning up after other people get to experience the exciting part of an event. In more than thirty years as the significant other of a cyclist, I've many times gotten the call to please come retrieve him and his bike from the second flat tire (he carries only one spare) or a torrential and unexpected storm.
The farther he is from home and the worse the situation I'm extricating him from, the more grateful I am to be able to take the call. By being available to pick him up, I'm allowing him to take longer rides and push himself further (and farther). I think of myself as the sag wagon, but he calls me his knight in shining armor. Either way, I'll take it.
Earlier this year, he wasn't able to drive at all for six months. (He's fine now, and we're both grateful for that.) In general, he loves driving and hates being a passenger. Additionally, the six months put a strain on his sense of independence, something he values highly. During half a year, I got to be his sag wagon not only for rides gone awry, but for anything he wanted to do that wasn't in walking/biking distance. (Given where we live, public transportation and Uber/Lyft aren't options.) Even as much as he'd get frustrated with me for going too fast or too slow or not exactly how he'd take every road, I was so glad I could get him where he needed to go.
I feel for people who don't have sag wagons in their lives, people who will be there to pick them up and get them back in gear. Have you needed a sag wagon? Have you gotten the opportunity to be a sag wagon for someone else? Please share any stories you have in the comments.
Thanks for presenting this fascinating concept so personally.
He is fortunate to have you as his sag wagon as you are to have him.
… and I am very fortunate to have both of you and your offspring in my life‼️
Thanks, I feel grateful/fortunate to have you in my life, too.
Yes, I’m often noticing that I could write (and sometimes do) opposite posts that are both true. Maybe someday I’ll write “Why Allow Others to be Your Sag Wagon.” And it’s probably true that the people we should keep around are those with whom we’re in sag-wagon balance.
Those are words of wisdom.
🙂