 |
| Elliptical bike from ElliptiGo |
Yesterday a pair of bikers passed me on the trail today. Neither bike had a seat; both "riders" were standing up. How do you bike standing up? If you have $1800 to $3500 to spare, you can get an elliptical bike of your own and give it a try.
Ought to cut back on saddle sores. Not sure it can provide an elliptical machine's additional upper-body workout, however.
 |
| One explanation for the bike-eating tree |
In other news of bikes and culture, I see a pictures of Vashon Island's famous bike-eating tree has been circulating... this time as "a haunting reminder of the sacrifices soldiers make and the love that follows them even after they are gone."
I lived on Vashon for a big chunk of my childhood. Had to go poking around to see if there might be anything to it.
The sweet story didn't ring true, and not just because I'd never heard it before. Building a patriotic memorial? That doesn't sound like the way a Vashon Islander would behave, not to me. Leaving old junk lying around in the woods and forgetting about it, now that sounds like the Vashon way!
If this story from the local paper, the Beachcomer, can be trusted, that's just what happened.
2 comments:
The bike itself is real though I am not sure about the story. You know, I don't think I have ever seen it, need to check next time I am out there. I think I've seen that story going around w/ a different location being named. Berkley Breathed wrote a children's book about it when he was living on the island:
http://www.amazon.com/Ranger-Came-Calling-Berkeley-Breathed/dp/0316102490
Apparently the Jesus barn has been rebuilt - or I should say recreated, I think the original wood was completely rotten, but my friend said they painted Jesus on "the wrong side". I know people were still navigating by it for years after it collapsed. "Turn right by the Jesus barn," etc. I think people navigate more by actual street names now than they used to, since the post office switched from the route system to "real" addresses! Oh the good old days, not knowing your actual address and not having a house key because who locks their house?
No, the soldier story is completely untrue. Apparently the country store distributes copies of some kind of printed out story of the place... as well as selling the Berke Breathed book I'm sure.
Nothing stays the same forever. Even if Vashon as we remember it is not the same, there were/are old timers who considered previous "versions" of it to be the "real" thing... if nothing else, the oppressively aggressive vegetation tends to take over. Remember how covered in rose briars the Beale Greenhouses are now?
Post a Comment