four rides make a post
Sep. 16th, 2008 09:32Thursday:
"Never forget," they say, and every year, the voices shouting that catchphrase get more and more shrill, as if we could forget what we saw, and who we worried for.
Seven years and one day ago, she wrote about seeing a rainbow from her office window near the top of the World Trade Center. Seven years ago, it was so bright out it hurt my eyes, and I couldn't believe that such horrible things could be happening on such a beautiful day.
I take a quick ride down to the river; it's grey and cool, and it helps.
*
Tuesday
It rained for most of our trip to Vancouver last month, yet I spent three days out of four there riding around town on a rented bicycle. Pedaling around Stanley Park, hefting my bike onto the miniferry, getting lost in Upper Kits, losing track of time and having to pedal the fastest I've ever gone in order to get the bike back before the shop closed. Me, flying up the seawall, a steady drizzle trickling its way down my neck, joyful.
( Turns out this was good prep for my inaugural bike ride across the river into Boston proper. )
Friday
I want more of my days to be this full of magical discovery.
Biking up the Minuteman Trail to pick up a bridal shower present for
melissaagray in Arlington Heights, my longest ride to date. Splashing through puddles, grateful for my fenders, even if I am thinking of spray-painting them to coordinate with my shiny blue thing. (Horrified at the man I followed from Park Ave down to Arlington Center; I now understand exactly what kind of wetness pattern bike fenders prevent on your clothing, and why it looks especially gross on a mustard-yellow shirt.)
Coasting down through Davis Square, dismounting to make the turn on Elm Street towards home, when I look up at the Somerville Theatre marquee and notice that ( Dar Williams and Shawn Mullins are playing that night. )
Saturday
Pedaling as fast as I can down the Mem Drive bike path towards Watertown. Quickchange into dress too delicate for that ride, then another hour in the car with
fes42 out to the Wistah suburbs. Sitting in
melissaagray's sister's living room, looking around at everyone who's come to fête her, realizing I've known most of these people for five years or more now. Biking back, a serendipitous turn down Mount Auburn results in me following my nose and the tempting scent of meat to Harvard Books and Bartley's; three used Tamora Pierce books, a chocolate egg cream, and a Sarah Palin (grilled onions and cheese sauce; sadly, not a mooseburger) make the trip home with me.
I've done three long rides this week, every one of them an adventure. Tonight, I'll bike down to BU for class again, and hopefully a quick dinner afterwards with a friend. Sunday, I'll go 10 miles at Hub on Wheels (any other locals wanna bike on Storrow Drive with me? and eat Redbones afterwards? :D ).
This is what life on two wheels is like.
*
(I need a good biking icon. Where should I look?)
"Never forget," they say, and every year, the voices shouting that catchphrase get more and more shrill, as if we could forget what we saw, and who we worried for.
Seven years and one day ago, she wrote about seeing a rainbow from her office window near the top of the World Trade Center. Seven years ago, it was so bright out it hurt my eyes, and I couldn't believe that such horrible things could be happening on such a beautiful day.
I take a quick ride down to the river; it's grey and cool, and it helps.
*
Tuesday
It rained for most of our trip to Vancouver last month, yet I spent three days out of four there riding around town on a rented bicycle. Pedaling around Stanley Park, hefting my bike onto the miniferry, getting lost in Upper Kits, losing track of time and having to pedal the fastest I've ever gone in order to get the bike back before the shop closed. Me, flying up the seawall, a steady drizzle trickling its way down my neck, joyful.
( Turns out this was good prep for my inaugural bike ride across the river into Boston proper. )
Friday
I want more of my days to be this full of magical discovery.
Biking up the Minuteman Trail to pick up a bridal shower present for
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
Coasting down through Davis Square, dismounting to make the turn on Elm Street towards home, when I look up at the Somerville Theatre marquee and notice that ( Dar Williams and Shawn Mullins are playing that night. )
Saturday
Pedaling as fast as I can down the Mem Drive bike path towards Watertown. Quickchange into dress too delicate for that ride, then another hour in the car with
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
I've done three long rides this week, every one of them an adventure. Tonight, I'll bike down to BU for class again, and hopefully a quick dinner afterwards with a friend. Sunday, I'll go 10 miles at Hub on Wheels (any other locals wanna bike on Storrow Drive with me? and eat Redbones afterwards? :D ).
This is what life on two wheels is like.
*
(I need a good biking icon. Where should I look?)
wedding whirlwind #2
Jun. 15th, 2005 11:57( saturday, in which there is over seven hours of driving, three dozen bottles of beer acquired, and damn good pizza )
( sunday, in which there is even more driving, a damn good breakfast, and a true coupling. )
wedding piccies. i took so many pictures of the ceremony that i ran out of battery by the time the reception rolled around. the ceremony itself was so perfectly
emandben, combining jewish and episcopalian heritage with unitarian beliefs and scholarly footnotes. (two american religions scholars getting married. hee.) a minister and a rabbi; episcopalian vows and a ketubah; the updating of the kiddushin to reflect true partnering (instead of the bride circling the groom seven times, em circled ben three times, then ben circled em three times, and then they both circled each other one last time to make the proper seven). stomping on the glass together. and through it all, they glowed. ne'er a doubt, fully aware of the commitment they were making and joyously solemn throughout. god made the world in six days, rested for one, and ever since then, has been yentl - making matches. and though i admit i've become slightly more worldly and jaded over the years about finding one's soulmate and finding the one, watching ben and emily, it's easy to see - they've found their beshert. may i be that lucky!

also, i would so go to services with that rabbi. heck, i might still be a catholic today had the good monsignors been as engaging as the rabbi. *ggl* very sensible and down-to-earth, liberal, cheerful, hearty. LOVED the rabbi. perfect complement to the services. here, have a look:

( the last of the whirlwind )
so, highlights:
- harmonizing to
noghri's a cappella mix through connecticut
- devouring seven slices of pizza for lunch at kinchley's
- boozing it up in a random hotel room in suburban new jersey
- chocolate egg cream!
- winning both apples to apples and poker
- delicious breakfast
- doing
memerath's hair
- wonderful, personal wedding ceremony
- seeing faraway friends, even if only for mere moments
- the night-drive peace after the craziness of the previous 36 hours
( sunday, in which there is even more driving, a damn good breakfast, and a true coupling. )
wedding piccies. i took so many pictures of the ceremony that i ran out of battery by the time the reception rolled around. the ceremony itself was so perfectly
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)

also, i would so go to services with that rabbi. heck, i might still be a catholic today had the good monsignors been as engaging as the rabbi. *ggl* very sensible and down-to-earth, liberal, cheerful, hearty. LOVED the rabbi. perfect complement to the services. here, have a look:

( the last of the whirlwind )
so, highlights:
- harmonizing to
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
- devouring seven slices of pizza for lunch at kinchley's
- boozing it up in a random hotel room in suburban new jersey
- chocolate egg cream!
- winning both apples to apples and poker
- delicious breakfast
- doing
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
- wonderful, personal wedding ceremony
- seeing faraway friends, even if only for mere moments
- the night-drive peace after the craziness of the previous 36 hours