I’ve got a new Outside column up, and it’s about how bikes are the best form of transportation when the shit hits the fan:
Of course they’re also the best form of transportation when everything’s perfectly fine, but there’s also a lot to be said about sticking some earbuds in your head and plopping your ass down on the subway. Certainly the days when we did that without freaking out about coronavirus seem impossibly luxurious now, but on the bright side these days you’re virtually guaranteed a seat.
Speaking of riding bicycles, I did so early this morning:
Usually I ride later in the day during the week, but now that our home is serving as both a workplace and a school it’s best that I take my self-indulgent recreational rides before the day begins in earnest. Now that the racing season is on hold I’m not quite back in the habit of waking up early, but I was happy to do so this morning because I’ve been looking forward to finally trying out the headlight on my Rivendell:
It’s powered by a dynamo hub, and while a headlight is more for being seen than it is for seeing in New York City, the streets in the immediate vicinity of my house are dark enough that I really got to appreciate the size of the beam it produces. In fact, when I ride before dawn I typically head down to Central Park for the visibility, but with this light I’ll be more inclined to head beyond the city limits instead. (Even though I am deathly afraid of early morning coyote attacks.)
For the time being however I stuck to the park, and by the time I got down to W. 72nd Street the sun had asserted itself. This part of town would typically be bustling on a Wednesday morning, but today it was as quiet as a holiday weekend:
The park was also atypically subdued, though there were still a fair number of people running, as well as small groups of roadies training for races that have been postponed indefinitely.
As pleasant as it is to have the streets and the park almost to yourself, I’d gladly trade the quiet for an end to all this shit.
In the meantime it’s bikes and parks that are keeping many of us sane, and this afternoon we launched the WorkCycles Smugness Flotillas for a little lunch outing:
May your spirits remain as high as your quill stem.