I’ve posted this a couple times to Instagram now… my own musical composition running in the background with… The Transmission spinning away!!!
This is *kinda* meaningful for me as I’ve had the idea to use a URTURT= Unified Rear Triangle.. early era full suspension mountain bike tech that had a diminutive rear triangle composed of drop- outs, chainstays, “seat stays,” and bottom bracket all as one unit that, then, was sprung against the mainframe to completely avoid “Chain Suck” caused by the compression/ rebound of the rear suspension on other styles of FS bikes.. most popular of the style were the Trek “Y” and Gary Fisher Joshua bikes instead of direct drive for ages.. ever since watching some of the pedal powered boat videos that proliferate my youtube library.. and here it is.. spinning away.
One more task striken from the plethoric “To Do” list.
And a little note…
The other day my van snapped it’s “serpentine” belt.. and while I can understand mechanicalistic things.. I’m afeared of working on The Car as.. I might do something to break, damage, or render useless that garagantuan hunk of metal and plastic.
Luckily the belt snapped 30′ away from The Workshop/ Boatshed so we pushed/ pulled and/ or limped the car back to the ‘shed and started searching for a mechanic that could come and do the install.. after I picked up the part, obvie.
While the van was on the blocks, so to speak, I was out and about on Suburbinator and Feltie.. and that felt SOOOOO good.
I don’t mind spinning in the darkroom and I am working up to spinning three hours every day.. but spinning is nothing like riding on the road and I guess I kind of forgot the feeling, TBH. I mean, the last time I was out on the road I was spinning out towards Cochrane on the ONE (HWY 1/ Trashcan/ Trans Canada HWY) and it was far less than fun with the construction and cars and… and.. and..
This time.. out on Suburbinator was.. smooth and I felt like I was sailing down the streets again.. like I did when I was younger.
I was spinning past people having a conversation and I heard them speaking (not their words.. just.. I heard their voices).
Driving a car is totally insular.. you are insulated. Pirsig said it in “Zen..” when he mentioned the difference between car drivers and motorcyclists.. saying that car drivers pass through as though watching scenes on a TV screen while motorcyclists are immersed in the world through which they pass. Interesting that he made the “screen” connection even back then…
And of interesting note is the terms we ascribe to different modes of transportation and their ownership.. like- I’m a CYCLIST.. I am, also, a MOTORCYCLIST (past, and hoped for in the future). The words have more meaning and depth than “Car Driver” .. even the more ownership based “Motorist” is too vague.. it borders on the owned method of transportation but as it includes all motor vehicles it is far too vague.. as a “CYCLIST” I am part of and inclusive of My Bicycle.. as a motorist.. the connotations are different.. more ambiguous.. less about personal ownership and determinism. That’s something that has been going through my head for 40 or so years of being a CYCLIST.