Take your bike for a spin. Encounter colors, murals and temporary pieces on the walls smells, people, coffee, and some sunshine or fog. The smells in this specific alley, Linden, are a beautiful weird combination of strong coffee, incense and paint from the auto-shop next to it.
I feel like riding a bike has totally changed how I see Portland. Not only do I see, hear, smell and feel more details of the city, but my spatial awareness of the city has changed - things seem more accessible, closer, and I feel more connected to them.
ReplyDeleteRiding home from work the other day, I went past what smelled like a jasmine bush. I didn't see it, but the scent was almost tangible in the middle of the street.
Think of how many of those moments you miss in a car.
Not to mention, being on a bike allows you to easily just stop and enjoy a particular moment, like this one:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/poetas/3219867969
I was telling someone awhile ago that I missed the smell of honeysuckle. Recently, there has been a lot of it around and I was thinking that maybe it had become fashionable to plant it.
ReplyDeleteDuh! I'm not in a car. I can smell things now! : )