March 1999
Bike Ride Observations
Blue ten-speed
under me coasting to Pacific Beach the wind behind me slow incline ahead, like she said "It's all downhill from here!" The anticipation of the return going back up the hill. Should have worn more than a sweatshirt, my hands
are already cold and I'm only a
block away from home On the sidewalk, against traffic, so I don't have to cross again for the bike
path
Peddle hard to get
up the small hill Coasting again, passed
newly quenched shrubs and grasses Crisp air from the recent rains A
slight smile and then Whizzzzz! A cyclist on my left If I'd been six
inches off course, "Pow!" She sped away, the empty baby seat waddling under her behind as she stood for
a strong push with the legs Couple with the
dog with different colored eyes Hello! How are you today? Doing well,
thank you. And you? They're back of me now A whole group of people Husband and
wife with stroller Black dog on leash Two cyclists speeding forward Luminescent
green and black pants Black bike gloves Matching helmet and shirt Off the path and up tree-lined Bellevue Breeze
so fresh against my face A car pulls away from the curb leaving a cloud of
exhaust in its wake Someone's cooking hamburgers, the smell of fresh meat on a skillet, starting to brown A house
has a fire in the fireplace
Black lab panting on the side
La Jolla Hermosa, family scattered on the wide
street
"Sorry, sorry" the father says as I
drift by
He's pushing a stroller down the middle of the street
A child on a bike with training wheels nearby
Another running along side
Dogs seem to be everywhere walking this way and that
across the street
I pass through, the end of the street lined with apartments
windows so clear one can easily see the vintage '60s lamp
a mirror on the wall, couch pillows peaking over the inside sill
Off my bike, walk onto the sidewalk, passing two couples on bikes
coming around the corner, no one wearing helmets
Mine protrude's over me like a space helmet
Watch for cars, cross the street at the "closed" coffee shack
where drivers can stop for a quick drink and pastry on the way to work
Smell of cigarettes but no smokers nearby
Surprised to smell the smokey bar from across the street
A guy in cap pulling a woman close, glancing out the door
Down Bayard, many stop signs. Cars line the streets
Everyone's home, it's 5 p.m.
Dinner time or other occasions
Mother with four year old being walked/pulled
Barbeque, fresh coals lit
Air so crisp, hands colder than before
Hispanic man following another up the alley, talking together
One speaking over a shoulder, the other laughing
Carefully through the intersection's stop sign, four way, safe
Garnet, where's Trader Joe's? Must be west.
I cross the walk that's green and then across Garnet
Further east than I thought
Pass a couple, each with a hand in the other's back pocket
aware of the rump muscle movements as they walk, smiling, chatting.
Parked cars along the street, wait for me to pass
Stores open, neon signs, exhaust again, a busy street
Cars veer far left to avoid me, thank you.
Turn right and lock my bike (4-3-52)onto a poll behind Trader Joes.
Carry my helmet, wearing my black backpack
Pick up an orange plastic basket, black handle
"Where are the Clif Bars?"
See those monkeys hanging over there? In that aisle.
Thanks, I head that way noticing that many aisles are marked
with air-filled creatures, parrots on the next aisle over
Two peanut butter flavored and two chocolate fudge Wander around trying to find the jam
A 6'5" woman, blond and big boned (easily) with a four-year old,
tiny
a child's voice, "Can I have this?" Come on.
Two jars cranberry, raspberry, orange marmalade, one boysenberry
Wait behind a lady buying wine
"How's it going?" asks the clerk.
Fine, thank you, I reply
$16.34, in cash with a $20, don't need a sack because I have my pack
but put the carrot juice in a sack
My back weighs another 10 pounds than when I started off
Heavy against my lower back
Pass a coffee shop, where everyone out front is the color of coffee with
cream
Down the alley to find a cross street with a light on Garnet
Waiting at the corner, aware of being watched.
He has a big helmet, they think.
Up Cass now, more traffic but more to see
Outdoor gym, I bet the metal's cold
oil spots on the street nearby where cars park in the early morning
St Bridgids with 20 and 30 year olds filing in
Must be the folk mass. They look happy, not obliged
But also not wanting to have to do penance for missing
A man with
flowers knocking on a door that says in a red sign "Closed"
^—' peering in the window
Laundromat, gust of sweet air from laundered clothes
Three Hispanic women, one with a wide face, short, probably Indian blood
jay walking, talking in Spanish, to the curb with effort stepping up
Green Garden Nursery where I went twice to buy "organic" soil
with cow bones and blood, Yuck.
Cross and cut through the gas station, around the pumps and cross onto
Turquoise
pass the French Gourmet Restaurant and Bakery
Pacific Beach Nursery
Lucky's Market (so you're not lucky if you shop at Ralphs?)
Up the alley
pass a couple, she's wearing snow-weather gloves, heavy tan coat, on
their walk
A home laundry putting out sweet, warm air
Home like a mini-hacienda, much noise of birds
Bird Rock Elementary playground
Family playing softball
811 and 12 year old boys playing push and pull down
to the ground, laughing
Man in helmet and shorts with three golden labs
Black boy sitting by the fence, watching.
Back to La Jolla Hemosa
What variety of homes
I smell a steak cooking,
w
Roof with heating duck on top of the house, lovely!
Father saying "that a boy" to his boy on bike
Tire swing looks like a rocking horse
Voices of children
Grey car color of grey house
More sounds of birds as the sun sets, out for their meals
Houses so close they could pass things between bathroom windows
Let's see how close we can build our house to theirs
Some shaded under beautiful elms
Quieter now that dinners cooking 5:15
Hermosa ends at the south end of the bike path
Bellevue again, manicured lawns
White car idling with no one at the wheel and no one around
I'll be just a minute, she thinks and forgets about the car
Sports utility vehicles, every other car, black, white, red.
Bike path's pretty empty now, other cyclists headed this way
Mockingbirds calling
Woman with dog who's husband's a surfer
Hi! Haven't seen you in a while.
Hi! I know, she titters
her dog meets another, neither leashed
Jogger on left side, running on the wrong side
Excuse me, excuse me, I'm on your left as I pass by
thank you, but no response.
Over the bridge and see the cement gully around the property,
earth moved and now settling before homes are built
Pass the house the Beachem built
Small hill, I'm tired, my rear hurts, decide to walk
Coast down the other side.
Fire station on the left, slowly go around corner to start back up
Nautilus
Walking, helmet off,
Always hoping to see money, such as $100 bills, but only empty Pepsi can
pink tissue, Skittles candy box, sandwich size plastic bag, faded ad
My first nasturtium, bright yellow above a leaf-lined slope, soon to
burst with color
Small green pants with tiny yellow bells
Aranda, and trash overflowing at home where Oklahoma in-laws are staying,
helping the neighbors clean
Drop my helmet and run into it (while I'm walking! Jeez) and it
cracks, a big bite on the side, but it will probably stay for now,
although that piece is hanging. Brother, could have been avoided.
Off my bike, home, to the garage, dryer going, empty it, warm for my
hands.
KJ
