SLIGHTLY IMPERFECT

{words by carey}

If a man with one eye can have colorful visions of bulbous glass, then I can certainly ride my single speed up that burly hill!

We have changed coffee shops these days: All City in Georgetown has become our haunt. Georgetown is one of the last little pockets in Seattle's industrial area that hasn't been taken over by the "lofties." It's gritty and skeletal, with vacant warehouses standing tall on the edge of Airport Way, making you feel like you're riding through an urban canyon. Every little establishment that exists in this district is specialized (coffee shops, record shops, bars (9lb hammer), chopper shops, pizza joints, etc.) and filled with unique locals. All City coffee exists amid this raw grittiness and this is what I love about it. The other day, I was sipping an espresso in the sun when a Boeing jet flew so close over head that I was able to read the numbers on its belly; the sound was magnificent.

I bring this all up because affixed to a newspaper box outside All City is a sticker of Dale Chihuly with the words "SLIGHTLY IMPERFECT" stamped over him. Though I'm not a huge fan of Chilhuly's work (or glass as art in general), I do respect him and his craft. What I liked about this sticker was the fact that the words "SLIGHTLY IMPERFECT" were juxtaposed with someone that is extremely successful. This is a subject (perfection/imperfection) I love to discuss and it was awesome to see it stated so simply on a sticker. This blog, I believe, exists as a "slightly imperfect" venue of ramblings, stories, and images. It's an honest expression of our obsession with bicycles, riding, and life. The bicycle is a PERFECT machine and we the riders are the words "slightly imperfect" stamped upon it. But this is great, because it's the imperfections (the fatigue, the challenges, the flats, the crashes) that keep us striving for that perfect ride. It's the perfect ride we crave (and it happens a few times each year), but if we rode our PERFECT machines PERFECTLY everyday, I think we'd loose interest pretty quickly. So, thanks to all who read this blog - good luck in attaining your perfect ride.

And...for those who like numbers (and have read this past posting), our commuting team for the month is doing rather well. Out of 800 teams we keep swinging between 8th and 14th (yes!) and that is only with 8 riders, while our other competitors have 10. Click here to check out our personal stats and click here for over all team stats.

Enjoy.