This is my loyal horse, my companion, the bicycle that brings me great joy, on which I discovered the way I cycle is closer to the cerebral and emotional rhythms of walking rather than cycling. I stop frequently, I like having destinations but I am not bound by endings. I meander. I putter around. I often unconsciously look for a place to sit or loaf, where I can stop and read a book. It’s a faster way of walking, but certainly it is slower than cycling. It feels aimless but not when drifting is the preferred mode. I never think of picnics when walking (when hiking, yes) but when I am riding Wyatt Earp, my mind wonders if I should have brought a thermos of coffee or soup, an insulated bag with beer or wine with cheese, and I wonder if I brought with me the right book. On my bicycle, my mind wanders. But only on Wyatt Earp. I’ve had much loved bicycles before, but I never interacted this way with my previous horses. That it’s a steel bicycle, beautiful the way it’s built, with large wheels, cantilever brakes, old-style gear shifters and the lovely Brooks leather saddle, with nifty back and front racks, I think the way Wyatt Earp is built makes me think differently.
I want long rides – but I hate long rides that have only one destination, or even two, three stops in between. That’s not puttering around and I gain no sense of exploration.
Kamuning Republic 