Gettin' The Velo-Love Treatment

I was riding home from work yesterday afternoon. The bike: my neo-vintage '87 Schwinn Technium with the Scott bars, and rear rack. You may have forgotten it.

Old Town, Pasadena. Just past the techno-dorks waiting outside the Apple Store for their 3G, and well beyond the IndyMac meltdown debacle.

Its 90 degrees; mild, given the time of year. Me, waiting for the light to change, daydreaming.

A young woman is crossing in the crosswalk. She's easily 5'10", with the approximate confirmation of a corsetted water-balloon. Wearing flip-flops or sandals, and sucking down the remains of a coffee-whipee milkshake. The wind turns and I catch a whiff of her apple-candy perfume—like she'd been run through the Bratz Sheep-Dip Trough.

This fearsome valkyrie is not alone. As she passes me, she turns to her friend, then looks at me and says

"Your bike. Sucks. Balls"

Damn! She is in love.

I turn to her, and say "See ya next time, honey!" and ride off into the heat.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

AC100: 2023 Is A Matter Of Course

Image
The 2023 Notional AC100. The venerable Angeles Crest stumbled into 2023 with a finally redone website.  Congrats! Most of the photos are bright and shiny, and non-synchronous to actual locations. However, it's a considerable improvement. No idea if the signup is as buggy and weird as it was when the Next Day Lotto was unleashed several years ago. Everyone Has A Plan… RACE CANCELLED FOR 2023: SKIP TO THE END The Race has been able to rejoin its point-to-point origins, with continued mods by fire and bio-edict. RIP incinerated Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog [MYLF]. 2022's out-&-back is now an asterisk in the rear-view mirror. The new course map and descriptions are confusing. It was deja vu to 1990 for me all over again, only in color.  Map shows a Chantry pass-thru, while text indicates an out-n-back from Red Box to Newcombs, then up the Kenyon Devore over Mt Wilson. Thence over the top down to Idle Hour, to its eventual conclusion at Loma Alta in Altadena CA. Any Kenyon Devor
Read more

I Didn't Conquer Kilimanjaro

Image
  THE SUMMIT I didn't conquer Kilimanjaro. I paid attention, cooperated with the mountain in optimal conditions. Made the summit on Mar 10 2024; and more importantly, made it back down safely on my own steam. This was a pilgrimage for my late wife Leslie Sowle, who'd done it in Dec 2003. When I reunited with her in Jan 2022, I repeated my admiration for her accomplishment. She looked at me and said "its just a long walk. You could do it" Leslie in red parka. Kilimanjaro, 2003. Photographer unknown. At the time I demurred, because Kili was irrelevant in the face of her oncoming death. I began thinking about it in September 2023. If not now, then when?  I started training with her very good 2003 Arcteryx RT25 pack at home in Ventura County, CA. I made no mention of it on the socials. Bad juju. I'd booked the longest trip possible [11 days Northern Lemosho Route] with Simon Mtuy's Summit Expeditions to get as much altitude conditioning possible. A shorter trip [
Read more

If Carhartt Made Wedding Dresses…

Image
"La Paloma de Alba" This lovely two-piece bib overall mermaid gown has delicate, feminine details throughout. From the hand-beaded, antique-finish nickel hardware brooch detail on the sweetheart bodice, to the cascading rose at the hip, it is a gorgeous dress for the modern bride. Field-Tested, multiple tool and utility pockets. Faux-braided ribbon closure at back; breakaway honeymoon closure on side. Made of 11.75-ounce, 100% denim cotton, with triple-stitched main seams, satin-polyester facings and taffeta trim material. Also available in Nomex®™. Shown in Sandstone. Available in Moss, Dark Green and Enhanced Black.
Read more