Passage #436: 10 January 2018
Tree Trimming Tea Time
We are doing a two-month series of repeat rides (Passage Classics, let's call them), starting this week with Tree Trimming Tea Timing, a chill ride (with warm beverages) from 2014. It's true that we've always sort of prided ourselves on the fact that we do something different each week, but for the next two months, we're going to do things differently by doing things we've done before. To give you all a chance to plan, we're including the full schedule at the end of this announcement. It's quite the lineup. We're pretty excited about it, and we hope you are too. There's some historical content, some Oulipian constraints and even a repeat weekend ride, all with the usual disorientation, inconvenient passageways etc. that you've come to expect. But enough with the previews; on to the feature presentation...
ORIGINAL ROUTE ANNOUNCEMENT:
Consider for a moment the plight of the poor Christmas trees, raised from seedlings for the sole purpose of bringing us joy (or at least the trappings of festivity) for a few short weeks, only to have their temporary caretakers hurl them ungraciously out to the curb, perhaps with great relief to finally be rid of all the symbolism that they have acquired. After that: mulch.
This week, we will attempt to give those trees one last hurrah while they are still in tree-shaped form -- sort of a Passage #15 + Passage #64 + Passage #178 + Christmas trees kind of thing. Is that a "kind" of thing? We're going to say yes. It is, more specifically, a kind of thing in which we set out on bicycles in search of a discarded tree (and perhaps some furniture that has suffered a similar fate), then decorate it while making tea and being generally festive on the curb.
We will be supplying the stoves, water, and teas; the streets will be supplying the trees. We will also be supplying a number of drinking vessels, but it is recommended that you BRING A CUP of your own for maximal tea enjoyment. Feel free also to bring any teas or food items you feel would be appropriate.
There will be some supplies for crafting your own ornaments should you find yourself so inspired, and if you have a particular ornament that you feel needs another hour of glory before being retired for the year, then by all means, bring it! Garlands, lights and other trimmings would be especially useful. All ornaments will, naturally, be taken back home when the night is done. We're not litter bugs, after all.
There will be one or two tree/tea stops, depending on how lucky we feel.
