The Tweed Ride

In the morning of November 19, 2022, I wrote that I got up at 8:30 and got my wool suit on for the Tweed Ride. I chose my favorite tie but opted out of the vest because it was damaged. I had decided to ride my vintage Schwin even though the hub cable was loose. I rode to Mercury. I told the guy who goes there on a Public Bike about the Tweed Ride and I noted that the baristas were impressed. When I was finished I stopped at home and then I rode Valencia to 18th.

About 20 people were at Dolores Park. I saw all of the people I had gone to the event with on previous occasions. As time went on I noted that quite a few people from Bike Party were there as well. When the ride started, we rode up 18th. Unfortunately, the group got split up at Sanchez and Market. One of the ride leaders made sure we went slow so everyone caught up. At Waller we caused a hubbub. On Fell the new bagel place had a bunch of people double parking. I just blocked a whole lane. A person I knew honked at me encouragingly as he passed us. I heard him say my name.

In the Panhandle I tried getting photos. My friend was controlling traffic. At Stanyan we split up again but things improved on JFK. I looked for people I knew as the groupd passed the Beer Garden popup in the 14th Avenue meadow. From there we circled Stowe Lake and eventually headed back to Conservatory of Flowers.

I got to know quite a few new people – some of whom were particularly fashionable. There were people with really cool bikes and a bunch of people from outside of SF like Sacramento. I noted too that while most of the crowd were affluent white people the crowd was pretty diverse.

We all lined up to take a photo. I learned later that one of the bike partiers had flashed the camera.

After the picnic we rode to Page Street and down Pierce. We returned to Sanchez and eventually to Shotwell via 17th. We sat at a new place called Buddy on 22nd and Capp for a drink. The experience was pleasant. The ride leader bought me a beer. I flirted with the waitress and shared gossip with my Sacramento acquaintances. When we were done I followed the Sacramentans to Dolores Park before going home.

 
This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.