Passage #392: 1 March 2017
Not 2 Fast Not 2 Furious
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a period of penitence leading up to Easter, often accompanied by fasting. Like all rituals, it serves many functions, not least of which is to provide a sense of stability and continuity over the years — in a world of constant change. Going fast isn't really our thing, but The Passage has its own rituals and traditions, like our annual winter weekend rides we just concluded, our call to “find your bikes,” and the weekly Wednesday ride itself. These have helped define and maintain a small community within the larger cycling ecosystem. The ride started while CicLAvia was still just a dream in someone’s head, when the city had far fewer miles of bike infrastructure, when you could still post apostrophes on Midnight Ridazz. Times have changed and yet our weekly ritual cycles onward.
This week, then, we ride much like we have in the past: with some hills, some trails, some stairs, and some hiking. We’ll ride, as we say, “faster than a typical ‘social ride’ and slower than a typical ‘fast-paced ride.’” (Are there even “typical rides” any more?) We’ll ride for “exploration, not athletics.” We’ll see some new things but also endeavor to see some familiar things anew. No marks on the forehead, but minds marked by curiosity.
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