Bicycle Fixation Weblog
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01/12/2008: "Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe II"
Unfortunately, I had only a very low quality cellphone camera with me today, but I did not want to pass up a chance to photograph Mark, Brook, and their kids in case I never had contact with them again.I was riding down the Ballona Creek bike path to the Playa del Rey bridge, where I often ride on Sundays to lean back on the balustrade, between the Pacific and the continent, to watch sailboats, bicyclists, joggers, dog walkers, fisherfolk, and sometimes just the birds and the clouds drift by. Lucky for me I went a day early today, for I met the extraordinary (and extraordinarily gratifying) sight of this carfree family coming back from the Santa Monica farmer's market with a couple of trailer loads of vegetables!
Papa Mark is pulling a Bikes at Work trailer with four or five bins on it, mama Brook is pulling a Burley with two very young kids inside, and the oldest daughter is pulling her own cargo trailer (contents unspecified), and looks to be only seven years old or so!
I talked with them a bit and asked them to contact me, so if I didn't scare them too bad we might have an article for you soon.
Each of the grownup bikes had front and rear panniers as well. The kid bike had chopped risers for an aero position, and let me tell you, the crew wasn't just lumbering along when I met up with them!
I chanced upon my friend Bill Mendell at the bridge a little later, and he said he's seen them before, "riding," quoth he, "like they had serious business to attend to."
Indeed: the serious business of living a real life.
Mark, Brook, and brood: if I never hear from you again, know you have my undying admiration and respect!
