Right Up There
My wedding day. Mimi’s birth. The 327 Patchkit Alleycat 2006.
If you’ve seen the movie, Afterlife, you know this project: Design a theater piece that illustrates the happiest moment of your life, the one memory you will carry with you into eternity.
I’m not saying last night would be it, but there was a moment at the end of the evening that definitely ranks up there.
The race had been run and a good time was had by all, especially me. Weather was perfect, maybe even too sunny and warm. First place went to a man wearing a cast on his leg, Seth Holton. The kids all got hats. I’d drunk a bunch of beer with my family and friends.
We’re riding home through the neighborhood: me, Mimi, Jen, Mimi’s best friend, Ani, her pal, Delany, and Ani’s Dad, Elod, with three year-old Elek on the Trail-A-Bike. As we pass Madrona Playfield, a spontaneous cyclocross ensues. Round and round the playground we ride, circling the basketball court, the picnic tables, up and over the berm surrounding the swingset.
I see the three girls pedaling furiously, laughing as loud as me, in the warm first Saturday of fall night, while the little guy on the rear of his dad’s bike throws his head back and holds his handlebar one-handed like a rodeo cowboy. He’ll probably only remember the feeling, some day in 2050 or so, when he’s on his bike with his family and friends, but I’ll have that picture in my mind forever.
That’s what I wanted to do: share the bike love and pass it on.
I overheard Alex at 20/20 Cycle talking to a guy in his shop the other day: He said something like “Find the thing you love best to do and just do it.” There’s nothing I love better than riding bikes with loved ones.
When I do my scene for the afterlife, there’s probably a kid on a bike in it.
If you’ve seen the movie, Afterlife, you know this project: Design a theater piece that illustrates the happiest moment of your life, the one memory you will carry with you into eternity.
I’m not saying last night would be it, but there was a moment at the end of the evening that definitely ranks up there.
The race had been run and a good time was had by all, especially me. Weather was perfect, maybe even too sunny and warm. First place went to a man wearing a cast on his leg, Seth Holton. The kids all got hats. I’d drunk a bunch of beer with my family and friends.
We’re riding home through the neighborhood: me, Mimi, Jen, Mimi’s best friend, Ani, her pal, Delany, and Ani’s Dad, Elod, with three year-old Elek on the Trail-A-Bike. As we pass Madrona Playfield, a spontaneous cyclocross ensues. Round and round the playground we ride, circling the basketball court, the picnic tables, up and over the berm surrounding the swingset.
I see the three girls pedaling furiously, laughing as loud as me, in the warm first Saturday of fall night, while the little guy on the rear of his dad’s bike throws his head back and holds his handlebar one-handed like a rodeo cowboy. He’ll probably only remember the feeling, some day in 2050 or so, when he’s on his bike with his family and friends, but I’ll have that picture in my mind forever.
That’s what I wanted to do: share the bike love and pass it on.
I overheard Alex at 20/20 Cycle talking to a guy in his shop the other day: He said something like “Find the thing you love best to do and just do it.” There’s nothing I love better than riding bikes with loved ones.
When I do my scene for the afterlife, there’s probably a kid on a bike in it.
posted by Professor Dave at 4:20 AM
1 Comments:
Dave,
Absolutely magical day. Gorgeous weather, awesome friends, stomping all over town, coffee stops, sandwich stops, flat tires and so many miles. I slept like a baby with a fresh set of pedals.
-Jeff
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