Every once in a while, the fabric of this fragile universe is stretched
and distorted to the point of translation into another dimension, one
not of your choosing, but in which you must find your way or be lost
forever....
Last night, as I was lubing the chain on the Gray Lady SS,
reacquainting myself with the once-sweet paramour, she snarled and
[censored] at me liked a ditched prom date. Of late, due to countless
secret rendezvous' with the Reverend Titus, this old gal had been
standing in the garage, smoldering, her chain tightening up, the tires
starting to crack, angry at jealous at the neglect, (of which I hardly
had given a thought, to my shame).
As I caressed her underparts, lost in getting reacquainted, a
wild-eyed, bug-eyed creature flew across the lot to accost me--"Chris!
You've got your singlespeed!" I recognized the former shop owner and
reigning expert xc champ, so we chatted a bit. He always was very
interesting to talk to. Dangerous, wierd, but interesting. Locals
will know who I'm talking about, as he tried to make a go of Moo's bike
shop, but threw in the towel, after throwing several bikes across the
shoproom floor. Cyling, meet George Jetson.
But I digress. Within 5 minutes, several other rigs fly into the park,
and descend on my previously tranquil state of tender, pre-ride
ministrations..
Before I can say, "One-Trick Pony Group Ride!" I was hemmed in by 5
singlespeeds, not the least of which was a brand new Fisher 29'er, that
was simply blingtastic! Mixed emotions fought for dominance, as I was
offended by the cushy fork, the disc brakes, the titanium! But the
artist in me appreciated the construction, the geometry, the beauty and
simplicity of poetry soon to be in motion.
My riding buddy, the King Kahona, surrendered to the mirage enfolding
before him, accepting that I was lost, surrounded by fellow cultists,
chanting our mantras, drawing comfort, affirmation and sharing a sense
of wonder at how the world had crudely "progressed" ignoring the
ascended ones in service to its new God, technology. One would vainly
hope that blind pursuit of technology should have improved our riders,
but ultimately, as we say so easily, but fail to appreciate until it
counts,
its not the bike friends, it is the rider.
Then we had a great ride.
CDB