always good to get on the bikeit is always better on the bike
I did not want to get on the bike
there was a window of opportunity yet little motivation and zero desire
yet... I suited up and FOUGHT BACK THE FUNK
DON'T GIVE INTO THE FUNK
trying to make good use of my time
after a morning of working on my resume and looking for jobs I decided to get on the bike
I had wanted to go mountain biking on this day yet I did not have enough time for putting the bike on the car and driving somewhere
it was vital to be home in time to get my deal together to grab the kids from school
there was little or no desire to ride
I fought the malaise
I ignored my demons
I fought the funk and like a good little cyclist I suited up and got on my bike
ah... it is always better on the bike
ten minutes into the ride and I was feeling good
I was right where I needed to be
took a short loop where I pointed north on Beach Drive only to jump onto The Capital Crescent Trail
spun down the Capital Crescent trail with little or no drama
while under Whitehurst Freeway on K Street in Georgetown I decided that I would continue my ride
so instead of heading home I crossed over Key Bridge over to the Mount Vernon Trail where I could get a look to see if the Cherry Blossoms were in bloom
from across the river I could see a hint of pink
over the 14th Street Bridge and over to the Jefferson Memorial
there I paused with the camera asking strangers to snap a quick shot of me from various perspectives
leaving the area I posed with a Park Service employee
her reaction was rough and rigid when I pulled her close
I asked her about the Park Service Trike and how I thought they could use more of them
she asked why and disagreed
I told her riding was better than walking
she said they had bikes
like magic another Park Service employee rolled on bike
this man disproving her point
sure he was on a bike... but he was riding awkwardly with all sorts of parcels, packages, and bags
this guy cruised through like a crazy homeless person in need of a bike rack
the trike has a wonderful rear basket
this guy is headed for disaster
a slight breeze and he is going to find a plastic bag in his front wheel and his body going over the falls
after this last set of shots the camera was back in the bag and I was back on the bike
my effort to get in a ride was over
but I still had to get home
had to get home and get the car so I could go get the kids from school
at the corner of 15th and Constitution I saw an interesting site
it was an adult man on what looked like a pink version of the Green Machine
I knew immediately what I was looking at
from across this very busy intersection it was clear that the driver of this pink green machine recognized me
it was Peter Beers a cyclists that I have come to know through various electronic forms of communication
although we had come to know each other
I am pretty sure that we had actually never met
except for in the electronic world
we exchanged hellos
not having much time I asked Peter if he had a second to pose for the camera
he did... we crossed the street to put the Washington Monument in the background of the shots
we spoke fast and covered a variety of topics
I made a quick inspection of this interesting machine
I watched as Peter maneuvered this three wheeled bicycle on the wide sidewalk
after hellos and goodbyes and a few photographs I was back on the bike again with the camera back in the bag
rushed the final miles home so that I could step out of my cycling gear and into street clothes
I grabbed the boys from school with the dog in the car
we went to a friend of my younger son's for an uninvited visit
this family is Italian
it is my understanding that their European sensibilities would not mind "the pop in"
after the kids played a bit I took the boys into the woods of Rock Creek Park so the dog could stretch his legs and pop a squat
as we walked I accessed the land around me
I looked at the wasteland that is The Glover Archibald Trail
invasive plants were strangling indigenous plants
errosion left large sections of land barren
on each side of the trail that bisects the foot trail appeared to be enough land to build a winding trail that meanders about
cutting through kudzo and other invasive plants
enough space for nice winding trails to give runners, walkers, dog walkers, and cyclist a place to get a taste of nature in the city
after our hike which I claimed to be short we went to Cactus Cantina
getting the boys home after mom got home from her PTA meeting
I was not in trouble
but it was the boys' bedtime