I want to join a bike gang
May 3, 03:16
Sunday: After shooting three rolls of Ben in his suit we were hungry. Walking towards the corner Mexican joint our attention was stolen by a group of whimsical bicylists, riding an array of bicycles that I have never seen before. Some were taller than normal bikes, some had really small front wheels and looked to be modeled after custom motorcycles. I took a few photos of them, and as they rode away from the convienience store where they had been swarming I ran after them, down a side street, with hopes of getting a few more good shots. I had a portrait assignment due soon for Photography and I doubted I would find a more interesting group of subjects.
The riders were kind enough to allow me to take their pictures. I stood on the pavement in their path and shot as they rode by. A female rider correctly identified my Canon AE-1 as I crouched and tried to remeter for the shadowy road they were traversing.
AS he passed, the last rider asked me if I would like to ride along in his sidecar. It had been welded to his bicycle, thus providing an exceptional means for carrying about parcels, bags, and aspiring student photographers. I got in.
He introduced himself as Johnny. I asked if everyone had to have a ‘crazy bike’ and was told that ordinary bikes were allowed as well as the customized craft that some were sporting. We stopped in an alley to look through some garbage cans, which is what I was told the ride was all about: finding useful stuff people have thrown away. Johnny had found a digital camera the week before. Some of the other riders recovered an Entemanns danish, still in the package, and ate it.
At this point I had run out of film (at the time I thought the camera was broken because it wouldn’t advance, and it had been acting odd all day), so I thanked Johnny for the ride and asked if I could come with them again on another day when I would be better prepared. He said to look them up on the internet, which I later did.