The park was buzzing with folks enjoying the 80+ degree day–walking dogs, teaching kids how to ride bikes and scooters, handholding and necking and springtimeromancing, jogging, picnicking, engagement-photo-shooting, and just generally being outside. I rode my bike there to meet N., who lo and behold got herself a bicycle that morning. Oh, what magic! What fantasy futures of riding together to the ball game and to get ice cream and out to the water to count ducklings! I’m happy to ride by myself–I prefer it, generally, because the bike is the one place I can reliably be alone, but also with strangers–the contact zones of the city open up when you get out of the car. That said, I’d rather travel by bike, and I almost always want to go with N., so here’s to a happy future of riding together, when we both want feel like it. I snapped this photo of our bikes snuggling under a tree before heading home, leaving her to a few more laps by herself. She hadn’t had enough yet. Yep, I know how that feels. And I also know how much those extra laps on a new bike can make your ass hurt. Welcome to the family, 1974 steel Miyata 10 speed! I trust you’ll make yourself right at home. It’s nice to have somebody older than me in this house for once.