National Trails Day…and Pride Day…and so much to say.
Did you have a good Saturday? Ours was a little cold here. I heard that the Deer Valley race went off well. There was a dusting of snow all around and the cold skies didn’t look - oh how shall we say - inviting. Saturday was National Trails Day. Big thanks to all who showed up and to those who organized the day. Our contribution was to get the Princess Di trail pimped out. And we did. For those of you who have never done any trail maintenance, let me explain something…becaue I was a person who for years an years never did anything to the trails I rode. I was always training or riding or just didn’t have time. When you actually put your effort into the trail, it makes you appreciate it more. Its the same with bicycles. Back in high school, my parents bought me my first real mountain bike…a Trek 830. Well, lets just say that the 1999 moots I bought myself is still with me and has that new bike shine. See? Do some work on your local trail system and you’ll appreciate it more when you ride.
And don’t forget to Ride and Smile my dear friends.
This was also pride weekend. Why do I mention this? Because we all are/know/work with/race with/have to interact with people in the GLBT community. And because Pride events are a great way for me to support things like the Indian Walk In clinic, the Utah Aids Foundation and Friends of Animals. I’d link all those sites if I had time. Hey, I bought a bumper sticker for the shop that says “I don’t care if you’re straight as long as you act gay in public”. I love it. For those of you out there who are nervous around gay people, go to one of these. But go early….things fall apart and turn wild as the day goes on. See the Beer truck and the flag? The music is great, the food is great, there is beer everywhere, great people watching, friendly poeple. Speaking of friendly people….here is a neat story.
The old shop I used to manage was in business from 1932-2000. In about 1999, a nice lady brought in two Raleigh cruisers that her grand parents bought in 1934 AND HAD NEVER RIDDEN. The orig. sales tags were still on the bikes. Sweet, but what do you do with two perfect collectors bikes that have been stored indoors for 70 years? This neat fella had been hanging out at the shop for about a year and all the mechanics were completely blown away by his knowledge of BSA, Sturmey Archer and Brooks. He had been to England to see the factories/plants/etc. He even let me copy his history of Sturmey Archer book to photo copy since it was not available in the states. One day I asked him what his plans were for the day/week/month/etc. He said that he had a bear outing. This guy was kinda bear like…beard, big dude, looks kinda manly and such. I assumed that it was a mountain man type thing with lots of crotch scratching, beer drinking, porno watching, etc. My buddy said…”well, its kinda a retreat where large hairy men who like other large hairy men get to hang out and party”. I was tickled pink. He brought me photos (all of them in good taste you sikco-s) of the last gathering. I was fired up for this guy. I said “right on! that looks cool!”. The smile on his face was really warm and heartfelt. So, THAT dude got the bikes all the mecanics decided. Not to sap it up, but I also had a lot of fun conversations from the HIV/AID patients I used to treat at the U when I was a resident. They’re almost all dead now so for christ’s sake, always use a condom and get fucking tested.
This next photo is great. When I was a kit in Detroit, every Thanksgiving my father would take my brother and I to the parade. My favorite group was the briefcase brigade…they’d dance in 3 piece suits and briefcases. It was funny. These guys are funnier…
And of course with the acceptence of alternative ways to live, comes alternative ways to get from A to B.
Big thanks to SLUG and all the cyclists who made the scene. And BIG thanks to the tallbikes. Those rule. All I could say when my shop people asked about those was “falling off a tallbike is a longer fall than falling off a draft horse….jesus”.
