In curating this weblog through the years, I’ve made frequent use of sure photographs. These ultimately turned what in my day we used to name “inside jokes,” however what folks now name “memes.” There was the Lone Wolf:
There was the Time-Touring Retro-Fred from the Planet Tridork Bret:
There was Recumbabe:
And naturally there was Bibshorts Man:
Then in fact there was a ship known as the “Simply Kidding,” which I used after I wished to make it clear after I was the truth is simply kidding:
A few of these photographs would typically pop up outdoors the context of the weblog, and typically this was certainly the entire level. The Time-Touring Retro-Fred from the Planet Tridork Bret, for instance, was a inventory picture, so that you’d discover him in all types of locations, and it was at all times a delight when a reader would alert me to one more manifestation. Certainly, he’d seem on every part from journal covers:
To loaves of bread:
Within the case of the Lone Wolf, he was no inventory picture; he was the real article and a god amongst males, and infrequently I’d hear from individuals who had the nice fortune to satisfy him:
As for Bib Shorts Man, he was the mannequin for the Wikipedia entry on bib shorts. So far as I can inform that is now not the case, and I have to say that whereas the brand new man seems to be fairly match, he’s utterly missing in character and allure:
However I do recall listening to from buddies and/or household of Bib Brief Man at one level, and if I bear in mind proper they appeared to take pleasure in his appearances–or on the very least they by no means threatened to kill me.
As for Recumbabe, I don’t know the place she got here from, and I don’t assume we’ll ever discover out.
Then there was the Simply Kidding, and its affable crew. The easy results of a G**gle picture seek for the phrase “Simply Kidding,” I have to confess I by no means gave them a lot thought outdoors of the context of this weblog, nor did I ever assume I or any of my readers would expertise an extra-blogular encounter with them. However simply this weekend a reader emailed me to inform me he’d noticed the nice ship on the 5:35 mark of this video:
Right here’s a better look:
It delighted me to study that the Simply Kidding isn’t solely nonetheless plying the seas, however is outwardly in advantageous fettle, with its hull utterly freed from barnacles and seaweed. Primarily based on the video, it sounds just like the Simply Kidding is moored in Newport Seaside, in all probability simply steps from the frozen banana stand:
I confess that sooner or later years in the past I seen that the unique hyperlink to the Simply Kidding had disappeared, which made me marvel if maybe the hosts questioned the place all this visitors was coming from, determined they didn’t prefer it, and took the picture down. If that is so, I do hope the homeowners of the Simply Kidding know that I meant no disrespect, and that my use of this picture is merely meant in the identical whimsical spirit during which they presumably named their boat. I prefer to assume that homeowners of the Simply Kidding are lengthy retired and residing their finest lives, and that their jaunty wave is supposed to convey that they don’t give a fuck about something, however in the absolute best means.
I’d even go as far as to say that every of us goals of in the future discovering ourselves the captains of our personal private “Simply Kidding” and crusing off into the sundown. Perhaps it’s an precise boat, perhaps it’s a rental in a hotter clime, or perhaps it’s only a very nice bike. Hey, in case your “Simply Kidding” is a garden chair, a kiddie pool, and a 12-pack of beer you then’ve arrived simply as absolutely as they’ve. Regardless of the case, they’re Al Czervik sticking it to the Choose Smailses of the world…or at the least that’s what I select to imagine, anyway:
In the meantime, again on shore, the DOT wish to remind you that bicycles will not be a distinct segment type of transportation:
I wholeheartedly agree–although I proceed to enjoy my singlespeed mountain bike, which is undeniably a distinct segment type of recreation:
As I famous lately, a motorcycle like this may be of restricted utility in an city surroundings–and but, once you’ve solely bought an hour and wish to get a bit of journey in, there’s no higher bike for ducking into the closest swath of greenery and flitting about on some trails the place perhaps you’re not “supposed” to journey, at the least strictly talking. And it may be fairly liberating to go out the door with only a bike and no matter’s in your pockets–although by some requirements I used to be woefully unprepared:
After all I notice that as an inveterate city-slicker I’ve the posh of not having to hold a lot of stuff. I additionally notice there are individuals who journey in way more forbidding environments, and who disappear for days at a time, removed from human contact. Due to this fact, any commentary I make regarding what they could select to hold is akin to Ed Rooney telling Mozart his newest composition has too many notes. I imply, not solely do I journey safe within the information that within the occasion of an unrepairable mechanical I can at all times name an Uber, however I can’t even refill a single saddle bag! Nonetheless, this kinda feels just like the desert equal of the Minnesota Humblebrag:
I imply…paper clips, actually?
Now and again I’m driving on like a Wednesday afternoon or one thing and I see somebody on a garvel bike with about 300lbs of bags on their bike. “The place may they presumably be going at the moment of day?,” I ponder. Typically I attempt to give them the good thing about the doubt–maybe they’re heading out for an extended bike tenting journey they usually had been late leaving Brooklyn. However may it’s the gravel pattern has gotten to the purpose the place individuals are loading their bikes up with pour-over espresso makers and titanium sporks and paper clips and postage stamps sixteen totally different widths of strapping tape even for his or her afternoon rides, in the identical means that roadies now use $3,000 crabon race wheels simply to journey a number of straightforward laps within the park? Perhaps they learn stuff like this and get such massive journey boners they pack all their bike instruments plus the contents of each their junk drawers and their medication cupboards after which go journey up and down River highway. It will definitely clarify the sudden proliferation of laden bikes with flared drop bars within the rapid neighborhood of the town limits.
Once more, that’s not directed on the author particularly, who presumably lives and rides someplace the place winding up a sun-bleached skeleton is a really actual concern. Furthermore, I’ll freely admit I’m a “woosie,” and that my thought of “loaded touring” is sticking a beer and a washing go well with in a bag and driving to the seashore:
By some means I at all times wind up extra loaded for the return journey, go determine:
It’s necessary to know your limits.
