One Bike(less) Time

While I knew that there would be many an entry on this blog about bikes, biking and bike culture/adventure, i hoped that the day i reported a "bike-be-gone" would not come so soon. or ever really. but as i've come to realize, cycling in the city comes at an inevitable price: at some point you will be in an accident and at some point, have your bike stolen. For now, Treky 1, I will ride no more.

Like any stupid optimist i still believe Trekky might just show up...suddenly brought home like a lost pet that has wandered astray...lazily leaning against the side of my house, pleading for a ride when when i look out my window to check in on him. when i came home at 1am yesterday i peeked through the gate to say hello and for a split second it did flash across my mind how crushed/shocked/horrified i would be if i awoke one day or came home to find it gone. a vanishing act. it's like i brought the energy upon poor Trekky. i guess i've had that thought before but i comforted in our location. you'd have to know it was there to steal it. we live up in the hill and my apt sits even further back, up 50 stairs (which on the way passes by another apt with a stack of unlocked bikes), and through a gate to the side of the house where it lives (oops...lived) when not carting me all over town. it's stupid how much it pains me to think of me sleeping away, unaware that at some point between 1am and 8am my side gate was opened and just beneath my window (creepy!)and dreaming head someone dragged my poor bike away without any objection from me. just the thought of this thief sitting on my bike and holding my handle bars that i've held since i was 12 makes me nauseous. it is like a child! what is wrong with me?! this is way too dramatic for a bike, really now. drama continues...

did they plan it out that on a such a windy day i wouldn't hear the bike lifted and dragged through the old gate? or that i wasn't working and thus not up at my earlier hour (where was the dog barking this time?!). when i saw the empty spot anxiety attacked...questions, blame, angst and sorrow. i looked next door and saw another bike openly kick-standed in the backyard. ahh well. well, i should just let it go. someone got a very nice christmas present but i'll still be up early tomorrow to post some notices, more as a warning to others. though i'm skeptical that mine was a happy accident stumbled upon. on the other hand maybe someone watched me haul it up my stairs many times and watched where i put it. again, creepy.

well, i needed to get out of the house after all that... and not to tempt fate and ride my road bike for fear of leaving it anywhere, even with a lock, in a haze, i set out to run my errands by vehicle. along the way i couldn't help but stare down anyone on two wheels. weaving to my destinations, perhaps i took side streets never ventured down before less to avoid the traffic and more in hopes of a lucky sighting.

the feeling i have is ridiculous. it was an old bike, clearly i've gotten my use out of it, and at one point i did consider passing it on to another owner. but you know that warm fuzzy feeling you get from giving to another human being, helping another, or even selling something you know someone else will enjoy?...ya...none of those feelings were in remote area of me today. but i've heard stories much worse, nicer bikes, more invested, etc....but one of the saddest being a tale from the Bike Kitchen of a kid who came in to build and create his own bike. he finally finished it (probably months later) rode around the corner and not 100 feet from the Kitchen, had it stolen from him, right out of the saddle.

Ok, apology. This has been more of a vent than an enticing blog read. But on the upside I did just educate myself on dealing with bike loss and one of the steps to avoiding such a catastrophe is to have many bikes on call and not grow attached or dote over just one. I liiike it. If you are into bikes (or not), this guy's blog is amazing...witty with information to apply to cycling and life! bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com

Ahhh, I am already starting to feel suprisingly relieved. Pic to the right (for some reason i can't put captions on pics) from photo explorations; a day out with the ol' Trek round silverlake.