Memorial Day Rides

On Memorial Day last year, I rode Arielle out to Somerville to see the Tour of Somerville.  For a decades, when there were no professional races in the US, Somerville was probably as close as we came to having an event that in any way resembled European races.   The top cyclists in this country--and a few from overseas--would compete.  

When I think about some of those riders--Jackie Simes, for example, and even John Howard--I have to wonder whether they would have been among the world's elite had they been able to train with, and compete against, Franch, Italian, Belgian, Dutch, Spanish and English riders throughout their careers.  Sometimes I think that might have been the only difference between them and Greg Le Mond and Lance Armstrong (putting aside, of course, the issue of drugs).

Anyway, Somerville has remained a showcase for the best American racing cyclists.  But there are other races--and a plethora of other organized rides--on the calendar for this day.  My guess is that for a lot of people, cycling season begins with Spring, whenever that comes, but the season really swings into high gear about now.

From Will Bike For Change (or Pie)

 Gotta love that bow!

Moving Forward

Bicycling and bicycles have been among the few constants in my life. All manner of other activities, objects, interests, avocations, relationships and tastes have entered and left my body, my mind, my life.  Also, beliefs and ideas--mostly bad ones.  At least, they usually seem irrational in retrospect.  

But riding a bicycle is one of the few things I've never regretted, never felt ashamed of.  When I was riding more than I am now, there were people who gave me smirks of smug superiority when I couldn't give them a rational reason for the time, energy--and money--I was devoting to this passion.  I get the same sort of reaction these days from people who wonder why I'm not skinnier.  But I don't care, any more than I cared then:  Such people don't remain in my life.  But cycling does.

And, really, bicycles don't change that much.  sure, they're made of different materials and have different configurations from the ones I rode and saw around me in my childhood, in my youth, in my previous life.  There are even genres of bikes that didn't exist when I was starting out:  Most notable among them is the mountain bike.  But the basic idea of a bicycle is always the same:  Using your feet (or hands or some other part of your body) to propel two wheels to propel yourself forward on two wheels.

I mean, really, what else is there in life?

From Midwest Lotus

Scraping The Sky, Or Brushed By Fog

Late yesterday morning and the afternoons were just interludes between rainstorms.  Or so it seemed.  And it rained even harder, from what I can tell, last night.

I crossed the Queens-Randall's Island spur of the Triborough (RFK Memorial) Bridge just before the window closed or the clouds opened, depending on your point of view: