the time with the camera can be a pleasure and a compulsion
there are times when I am without my camera and feel like I missed a shot
while there are other times where I am perfectly fine just enjoying the moment
this morning at the tail end of my pre-work ride I chanced upon a messenger on a fixie
we ran into each other at the corner of 15th and Penn right there by department of commerce
we each had our bikes pointed towards 14th and Penn at the next corner where the city block size department of commerce building ended
at the light we made eye contact
then exchanged hellos
with the camera already in my hand I asked if I could take some pictures
the answer was yes
but that he did not have any time to spare
I understood and told him to just do what he does and I will snap some shots on the fly
with my better camera in my bag I snapped some shots with a little point and shoot from the palm of my hand
things were moving fast and I was not sure what I was capturing
we talked as we moved
each of us splitting lanes and rolling through the lights
unless the traffic merited a stop
at the corner of 9th and Penn the notion of running the light was not within consideration
by this point the cars are moving at highway speed
already in freeway mode
still talking the rider by my side busted a move
he had been working his fixie in a beautiful ballet sort of way
at the light something funky happened
my memory is fuzzy how it all happened
as we reached the unpassable river or cars moving rapidly past he spun a 180
the quick delicate slide
or maybe breakless endo 180
whatever happened put him in a backwards spin
the spins were fast and tight
perhaps as tight of a circle a bicycle could make
certainly a tighter circle than I could do on a bicycle
all this while continueing our conversation
a conversation that started some six or seven blocks prior
the skills before me were humbling
in our rolling conversation mountain biking was a topic that came to surface
maybe after I told him about my broken fixie not being an issue as the fixie is not my second nature
yea... as he had told me that mountain biking was second nature
as the circles continued things were in focus and in control
the circles were painted right one on top of the other
all the while just on the edge of the fast moving river of traffic
so close to that river that I was afraid that he was going to fall in
at one point a rushing car honked loudly
there was not a flinch
but there was recognition
as the circles continued the rider told me that this little move is a good way to get the car's around him's attention
thinking that if they see him then
they will be more likely to see him down the road as they tried to pass
the light turned green
we moved forward
all the while I worked harder sticking by his side and maintaining the conversation
the photos were taken in between brief moments on the grips
as I had to brake at certain points
and brace or turn at other points
the camera went into my pocket as we finished our final blocks together
this turn down penn was taking me the opposite direction as work
and well
it was just passing the top of the hour
making me a few moments past my already late start
no worries
my late start had me staying late
not only did I stay late but I stayed long
should be sleeping right now
but... worked real hard and need to blow some steam
as good as my body feels from the long hike and the extended ride
my mind is still a little tightly wound
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