North, South, East, West
This weekend, I’ve been on my bike as far north as Lynnwood, as far south at Renton, as far east as Issaquah, and as far west as Ballard. If you did it as a loop, I bet it would be about 70 miles—not that much, really, but plenty to make it to count as a few real adventures, especially yesterday morning, when I was lost in the wilds of Montlake Terrace or today, when, riding along with Evil Mike, we saw trailer parks and non-ironic coffee shops in rural settings just over the hill from high-tech condominium ghettos.
Mainly, I’m just reminded how, after all these years, the bicycle still says to me “freedom.”
It all started yesterday, about 8:50 in the morning; I took the Saluki downtown to catch the 9:14 bus to the Lynnwood Park n’ Ride in time to be at Cascadia’s graduation ceremony starting at 10:00 for those of us in the ceremony.
Afterwards, mapless, and by more or less dead reckoning, I found my way southeast to Wedgewood for the Chuggers and Sluggers softball game, only getting so lost at one point that I almost headed north thinking it was south, but still showing up in time to earn the 16-8 victory on the mound.
Then, it was west along the Burke, through the throngs of UW graduates to Dutch Bikes of Seattle for some Conference Bike fun and some conjecture about how to make a business out of it, before heading home in full sunlight at 9:00 in the evening.
Today, I arose early to do part of Ripper’s Big Lake Loop: from Montlake to Renton via Lake Washington, then uphill to the Renton Highlands, before a series of fast downhills and a stop at Sammamish State Park.
West along the I-90 route, only getting lost once when I obeyed the signs instead of my instincts, but still back home by 11:30, in plenty of time for Father’s Day breakfast.
Mainly, I’m just reminded how, after all these years, the bicycle still says to me “freedom.”
It all started yesterday, about 8:50 in the morning; I took the Saluki downtown to catch the 9:14 bus to the Lynnwood Park n’ Ride in time to be at Cascadia’s graduation ceremony starting at 10:00 for those of us in the ceremony.
Afterwards, mapless, and by more or less dead reckoning, I found my way southeast to Wedgewood for the Chuggers and Sluggers softball game, only getting so lost at one point that I almost headed north thinking it was south, but still showing up in time to earn the 16-8 victory on the mound.
Then, it was west along the Burke, through the throngs of UW graduates to Dutch Bikes of Seattle for some Conference Bike fun and some conjecture about how to make a business out of it, before heading home in full sunlight at 9:00 in the evening.
Today, I arose early to do part of Ripper’s Big Lake Loop: from Montlake to Renton via Lake Washington, then uphill to the Renton Highlands, before a series of fast downhills and a stop at Sammamish State Park.
West along the I-90 route, only getting lost once when I obeyed the signs instead of my instincts, but still back home by 11:30, in plenty of time for Father’s Day breakfast.
posted by Professor Dave at 8:02 PM
2 Comments:
you have the most understanding wife in the world. you know this, right?
either that or you do your honey-do list at midnight or you have a big tab at the neighborhood flower shop.
Freedom is the key word. Freedom to take our time. Freedom to make our own way. Freedom to enjoy the environment. Freedom to fuel the trip will all manner of tasty food. Freedom to enjoy our dear friends' company as we travel.
I am reminded of purchasing my first Schwinn (Varsity) in 1973. I felt free then and if I slow down, any of my bikes can take me to that same place of joy now.
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