I’m wondering how on Earth I came to believe, through what I’ve been told, that Portland was so gawd-awesome and Seattle sucks. I was under that impression a long time. Many people reinforced this notion. I guess you don’t know until you are THERE.
In Portland, this kind of thing never happened to me:
I meet someone on the bike path who is riding an interesting road bike, and we start talking about it, riding two abreast awhile. A chrome lugged Cinelli, nearly superior to my own classical Columbian beauty. It continued with stopping at a store buying snacks, in no hurry, and leaving at the same time. It ended with ten minutes at my house talking about and looking at spare parts and such.
In Portland, cyclists pass each other. They hit the bridge hard silent, and hammer to and from work. They haul ass on a continual agenda, without taking the time to visit with the others who share this passion of the 2 wheeled human powered ride. If some words are shared, it’s brief… but it is not quite heard-of to spontaneously be invited to share a few miles or share some water and snacks at the home kitchen. In Seattle, it appears as though a trend of being nice is well established. I actually have *conversations* with people when I’m out walking my dog, too.
Amazing shit, this is.
Yeah, friendliness… pass it on, and it might catch on.
PV->Cottonwood->PV this morning, and if we pick somebody up and have to slow down a bit to be friendly, well that’s the way it will be.
I will not be hurried when I’m on my bike. That’s just the way it is.
pass on the friendliness. right on. isn’t life so much better when you like your environment?
Sounds like a bromantic afternoon.