Here is a wonderful bike that I had for almost two years before it was stolen on Tuesday. I rode it to a class on Shakespeare’s Sonnets at Edmonds College, part of its Creative Retirement Institute. Seven mile ride up, enrich my mind and seven miles back home, build my body. Wore my new Gorewear jacket that Kathy gave me for Christmas, a lime green so bright it scares scurvy away.
There was no bike rack at the classroom building so I used my wimpy chain to tether the bike to a telephone pole along a major street.
The clock on the classroom wall displayed 1:04 when I entered. Late because I, of course, got lost. At break just before 2 p.m., I walked out to get a drink from my water bottle — and the bike, water bottle, Timbuc2 carrying case, headlight, tail light and any faith I had in humanity were gone.
Among our family (three of us), that makes four bikes stolen. I don’t have pictures of the previous hijacked bicycles as I was not as deeply in love with them as I am now. And, they did not cost as much as the bike above did. But I remember them:
The Crescent: Bought when I worked at The Columbian in Vancouver, WA. I went looking for it on Google, and lo and behold, here is my bike, or at least one in orange that looks like it came right out of my garage here in Seattle in about 1979 or 1980. Sorry I can’t find the URL for this image, but you might check here if you are in line for a vintage bike.
Next came Kathy’s Sekai, that left the garage with the Crescent. Kathy might have become a cyclist if that thief had not interfered. But we did learn to keep the garage door shut.
Left unchained in front of a Seven-11 by someone who will not be named, the Kobe left the parking lot and never turned back despite the owner running after it and its rider.
Here is a piece worth reading on Japanese bikes. And since I stole this image from Classic Cycle Bainbridge Island, I should put in a plug for them. This place looks like it would be worth a ride to see — if I had a bike.
But it is only a mile from the ferry dock, a 20-minute walk and the weather on Sunday is forecast to be sunny. I could visit to buy a new bike to replace the No. 4 bike stolen from us, a Trek Checkpoint ALR4.
Or I could watch the Benegals football game and make this a stop on the upcoming Chilly Hilly — if I had a bike.
And as for bike thieves, Shakespeare had this to say:
“O, call me not to justify the wrong
That thy unkindness lays upon my heart.”
Sonnet 139
John, Anne’s bike was stolen at Michigan Tech. She later found it on campus and reclaimed it. Keep an eye out for the bike. It was a beautiful bike! Mary Jo
I’ll keep looking. I’m taking three classes up there this quarter.
As a long time bike rider I feel for you. I have been lucky enough never to have lost a bike from stealing, but I have lost a couple through crashes. Maybe Portland had less thieves but more hazards for cyclists.
Less bike thieves in Portland? Hard to believe. I did not include the bike I lost through a crash, a Lemonds.
Sorry, John. That really sucks. My Trek was taken out of our garage several years ago – they didn’t take Bill’s. Just the one that actually got ridden. But ditto on closing the garage door. Our neighbor helpfully went to a close-by homeless camp and looked for it, but no dice. I still watch for it, though I never really liked it and got a much better one as a replacement. Hope you run right out and get another!
I’m looking.
Hi John, sorry for your loss, but this is very amusing. Hi to Kathy! Provi