Be careful what you swallow

 I've completed graduate school (hence the serif font) and would have forgotten completely had I not noticed the sea of people on my morning bike ride.  After stopping back at the apartment to fetch a camera I snapped this picture and later reflected on commencement with my favorite speech to ever commemorate such an event.  Please enjoy Theodor Geisel's 1977 address to graduates of Lake Forest College in its entirety.

May 4th 2013.  Ball State University

Theodor Geisel to Lake Forest College in June 1977

“My uncle ordered popovers
from the restaurant’s bill of fare.
And, when they were served,
he regarded them
with a penetrating stare
Then he spoke great Words of Wisdom
as he sat there on that chair:
‘To eat these things,’
said my uncle,
‘you must exercise great care.
You may swallow down what’s solid
BUT
you must spit out the air!
And
as you partake of the world’s bill of fare,
that’s darned good advice to follow.
Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.
And be careful what you swallow.’”

V for cycle

Vendetta Cycles Townie

Good look at light, flame-cut lugs, and buried cabling.

14 speed internal?!

This is a beautiful urban romper features a modern integrated light, buried cables for its two disc breaks and 14 speed internal hub (still don't understand how they work).  The lugs are intricate flame cut designs that intially went unoticed by this admirer.  Last but not least, enjoy the easy to reach flask mount.  Don't drink and ride.

 

Save a horse, ride a bike

 Horse Cycles Urban Tour Project

Staying on track

DYI Bike conversion



A different sort of "track bike"

May, we ride

National bike month artwork by illustrator Carolyn Vibbert

HAIKUS

I want to ride my
bicycle I want to ride
my bike. (thank you queen)

farrokh bulsara

 wind pushes into me
I am a sail for the wrong
direction - headwind

unknown

miles disappearing
with the wavering cadence
of one cog one ring

rl canon

in the town line sprint
my bicycle is last, is first
I'm racing alone

 unknown

eight years old, just learned,
moulton mini, single speed,
ten miles, with proud mum

andy scaife

the answer my friend
is not blowing in the wind -
it's riding a bike

jaberwock

if my wheels were square
or triangles; trapezoids;
life would be harder

 unknown

february ends
dread month of gloom and twilight
now come the march winds

unknown

my bike is heavy
a ponderous thing with wheels;
rolls to stop downhill
 unknown

wheels spinning around
flying past automobiles
the bike is freedom

nicole mcmorrow

   

High Ride

We cannot eat money

Happy Earth day!

Please enjoy the scenic photos including the first which captures a good friend.  Carla, a vivacious member of the Peace Corps, is a constant joy and never struggles to find a smile or kind word.  This was taken while touring Khao Yai National Park northeast of Bangkok.  Carla and the tree were kindred spirits and crooked comforts.

Carla leans against her spirit tree.

Sunset in western Montana.  July 2010

Only when the last tree
Has been cut down
And the last river
Has dried to a trickle
Will man finally realize
That we cannot eat money
And reciting old proverbs
Makes you sound like a twat

-Banksy