Elevated Outpost

Scrambling up the cold down-tube of the locked commuter bike, I found the ultimate elevated night outpost: the empty aluminum water-bottle cage. Hanging high above the chilly sidewalk, it looked like a suspended scout capsule. Tucked right behind the lower mounting bracket was an abandoned, clean cardboard coffee sleeve. I wedged both boots against the frame bolts, hauled the ribbed cardboard collar flat with both hands, and slotted it across the twin wire rails to build a springy floor. Slipping inside the cage with my backplate pressed against the bike's painted frame, I hooked my elbows over the curved metal rim. High-altitude night sentry is officially locked in.