Critical Mass

I have never felt so free in my life.  To be on the other side, on the outside of  a car on the road. Experiencing the massive power of cars from the outside blew my mind as I remembered how I have treated bicyclists badly on the road.  "Disconnection" was another thought that ran through my mind and how I am detached to places and people because I depend on my car to transport myself to places. The rush in a car to get my little body from one place to the next does some weird mind trip on us.  The energetic detachment we create as we zip by in an auto, numbing us to places, blurring us to the ground we inhabit. I felt it so palpably as I wobbled my way on Kalakaua in the middle of Friday night traffic.  In all my life, I have marched, walked, protested, gone cruizin' as a teenager and driven my car many times down this mile stretch of road.  I had never ridden a bike.  It's such a simple act and I am puzzled why it would move me to tears as I recount to my friends the power of doing that.  

when one snorkels, you buy a mask for optimal vision.  in a car we stifle our ability to see our surroundings.  riding a bike is like snorkeling with a view of a world we don't have access to behind the metal and glass.

On Friday, August 28th, I rode in my first Critical Mass in Honolulu.  A wonderful friend of mine, Anjali, rides and had asked me many times if I'd join her.  I finally got a bike recently, so I was ready.  Got the bike tuned up because the gears were slipping (something I sorely found out on an uphill ride to the library near my house last week).   Borrowed my friend Grace's daughter's helmet, complete with a sticker of one of Malaya's friends, and decided to do it.

I must confess that I was nervous in the saddle as I have not ridden a bike regularly since I was 12 years old when I had a banana yellow Schwinn bike completely with streamers.  I am also not use to having gears to shift and skinny tires!  

There were about 25 riders, mostly men and someone who had jerryrigged a boombox to his bike.  It was great to ride with Bon Jovi blasting while we rode through Waikiki, tourists waving, motorists staring.   Someone brought gluten free cupcakes and a container of frosting.  We started near the Capitol and made out way to Ala Moana and then down Kalakaua through Waikiki.  Man, was I nervous because I am not used to riding with so many bikes. The fast bikers were in front, but I was nervous with Monique and Anjali riding by my side.   The cops didn't help because they kept yelling at us to keep in our lane and would ride between us to keep us in line.  Felt like we were herded like cattle by the 8 or so bike cops and the police cruiser who followed us.