Thursday, January 29, 2009

Joy on Two Wheels


South Pasadena streets accommodate a fair share of cyclists -- from casual riders pedaling old beach cruisers to competitive athletes whizzing down El Centro toward the Arroyo. (I fall squarely into the former category. My husband is closer to the latter.) H.G. Wells once wrote that after cycling, "One dream is inevitable. A memory of motion lingers in the muscles of your legs, and round and round they seem to go. You ride through Dreamland on wonderful dream bicycles that change and grow." I think he summed it up best when he said, "Cycle tracks will abound in Utopia." Indeed! Think there is no such thing as a free ride? Just hop on a bike. No other form of transportation feels quite as unencumbered. Or liberating.

And on a very personal note: Happy birthday, Groom! Here's to a year of wind at our backs in our own little Utopia...

23 comments:

Jon said...

Thank you SweetPea. I love the bike picture. It sort of looks like the cyclist is floating and inch off the ground. I am too. I love you!

brattcat said...

This is a great shot, Laurie! And a very sweet post. Happy Birthday from Vermont, Jon.

Halcyon said...

Ahhh... bike friendly towns! Sadly, we are not one of them. Until then, I'll continue to ride to nowhere on my stationary bike.

Yakpate said...

Happy birthday to a world-class husband, Daddy, poet, scientist and friend. It is so good to know you, Jon.

Laurie, I don't remember hearing that you visited England last summer... But just look at all those peaked blue roofs! Another gorgeous facet in the gem of South Pasadena, as seen through your magic lens!

penny said...

Great photo! I too live in a bike friendly town. I love to feel the wind on my face as I ride... ahhh sweet freedom ;)

Hilda said...

Adorable houses! I'm so glad for you that South Pasadena is bike friendly. Wish Manila was…

Happy birthday to your husband, Laurie! Wishing him many more years of love and joy.

Anonymous said...

So glad you came to our side of the world. Where is this Utopian street -- I don't recognize it.

barbra said...

This is a fantastic shot! The colors, the composition, the biker in just the right spot! This is my favorite since I started snooping around here.

I don't know where those cute little houses are!

barbra said...

Oh, and today is my precious daughter's sixth birthday!

Sharon said...

Oh Laurie, this shot is just perfect. I love everything about it.

Dixie Jane said...

My happy wishes also to your groom, Laurie. You are both so very lucky, as am I to have him for a son-in-law.

The picture is lovely and those adorable houses look like somewhere else. Very European. I have not known the freedom of biking but I can see how it would free the soul as you feel the wind whooshing past as you glide through the air.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Jon !

Such a charming photo, Laurie !

dbdubya said...

I like the way you set up the shot to make it look like the houses are on a grass street - very clever and it took a minute to figure out how you did it and where the shot was taken.

Happy Birthday to Jon.

DAG said...

Another wonderful photo, I enjoy my time wandering your through your photos, thank you

Mister Earl said...
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Mister Earl said...
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Mister Earl said...
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Mister Earl said...

She did it before, DBW. On October 22, to be exact. She's a clever rascal, she is.

Laurie Allee said...

Hey kids,

Welcome Pam and DAG!

Thanks for all the lovely thoughts and words today.

Altadenahiker, it's a little street off Huntington, between Ocean Liquor and Ralphs, on the South side of the street. I don't know the name of it, but isn't it great? (Thanks for the sweet words, I'm so glad to be on this side of the world, too.)

Barbra, happy birthday to your sweet girl!

Dbdubya, thanks. And Mister Earl, you amaze me! You know my photos better than I do!

Until tomorrow, everyone...

Jon said...

Thanks for the Birthday wishes all.

San Diego Farmgirl said...

Love those Aquarian men! Mine has a birthday in coupla weeks.

Neat photo! When the weather is warm like this, I do have the urge to hop on a bike!

Laurie Allee said...

Happy early b'day to your darling water bearer, Farmgirl!

Anonymous said...

This is a wonderful photo! Those homes are so cute and picturesque. I have a silly question to ask (since I have lived in South Pas for most of my life) but what street was this captured on? I've never seen these houses before.

On a side note, it's nice to bike around South Pas, especially around the Arroyo Vista neighborhood and Mission West. The city surely could use more bike lanes! I don't believe we have any.