So, I had the occasion to go in to my former place of employment, to do some paperwork and stuff... So why not bike commute, for old time's sake? As I left home, I thought, "Should I find the camera and take it?
Naah, not this time...." Sure enough, I should've had it along. Nothing in particular happened on the way in, but on the way back....
Missed opportunity #1 -- I turned onto the bike trail that runs through Richardson near Plano Rd for a couple miles, and here are these two little kids, maybe 8-9 years old, with their 12"-wheel bikes... One's got his turned
upside down, doing something, and the other girl is fiddling with her seat clamp. It would have made the GREATEST photo!!!!!! ARRRRggggghhh..... So, I stopped, and said, "Whatcha workin' on?" THey immediately said, "COOL BIKE!!!" Then the girl says, "My Dad tightened my seat clamp, but it's still loose..." and the boy says, "I'm trying to tighten my kickstand, it's loose!"
So I look at the seatpost (Girls first), and it's a quickrelease -- I fiddle with it, get it tightened up some more, ask her what height she needs it at (all the way down), and she's set. I look at the boy's bike, and it's a 6mm allen bolt problem -- so I pull out the multi-tool wrench, and tighten it right up. He says "You've got EVERYTHING with you!" I reply, "Well, I do long rides, so I have to carry spare tubes, and tools and all kinds of stuff!"
They asked "What kind of bike is that?" "A recumbent, where you sit back like a car driver." "How fast can you go?" "Oh, maybe 30 mph.." "NO WAY....." And at this,
they both hop on they bikes and start pedalling down the trail as fast as they can, standing on the pedals (forgetting any "thanks, mister!" or anything, but that's OK), ... I quickly catch up to them, check my speedometer, and THEY'RE DOING 15 MPH DOWN THE TRAIL on these little bikes, INTO THE WIND...
Granted, they only held it about 50 yards until I caught up, but still... I just smiled, and said, "Have fun, kids!" and went along my way.
Missed Opportunity #2 -- About a mile further, I ride along a greenbelt section where people like to walk the trail... I look over, and there's a grandmotherly woman strolling along, with a ~5 year old boy walking slightly behind her... And hs elastic waistband pants HAVE FALLEN DOWN AROUND HIS KNEES, AND HIS UNDEROOS ARE IN FULL VIEW, AND HE'S JUST WALKING ALONG, HOLDING HER HAND... She finally notices, saying, "Oh, my goodness!" at the same time I bust out laughing as I pass them...
Missed Opportunity #3 -- Another mile or so, and the Garland Police are in the middle of a four-car fender bender, and people are shouting at each other, etc. etc.
ALWAYS CARRY THE CAMERA!!!!!!!!!!