Some people take stock in what groundhogs have to say about spring’s arrival, but around here we wait for a letter, a post card, or a phone call.
Last week it came, inspired by whiskey and the mystic evening light of a New Mexico sunset.
I do believe it’s time to tell you about Mikey.
I know what you’re thinking, but trust me ~ he’s not as scary as he might appear.
Mikey–or “The Slowrider” as he is known around here–is a peace loving, Rolling Stones rockin’, renegade of life. Homeless by choice, he travels around the West on bicycle. And when I say the West, I mean from top to bottom ~ Oregon to Arizona and everything in between. He does it all on his trusty Giant, toting along the barest of essentials: a bible, some beer money, a notebook, and whatever he needs to get him to the next stop on his 1800 mile annual journey.
He’s an honest man ~ working for his beer money rather than begging for it, accepting the fate of the life he has chosen for himself, and maintaining the faith that people are inherently good. He hopped on a train at the age of 18 (he’s 45 now) and waved a peace sign at the idea of domestic life. For the last three years, he’s chosen the path driven by his own two pedals. And sometimes he falls over. Generally after tipping a few too many. No need to sugarcoat that part of it. But he always gets back up, picks the gravel from his elbows, and heads on down the road. He’ll continue to do so for as long as he lives.
So we have a saying around here: Watch Out For the Slowrider.
Really ~ watch out. You don’t want to hit him with your car.
The Slowrider is the sign of seasons for us. Around this time of year when it’s looking a bit too wintery and wonderlandy, we start reminiscing and wonder what kind of adventures he’s found since we last said fare thee well.
So it’s official: the Great Migration North is in its planning stages. With a distant sounding phone call and a letter sent in Slowrider scrawl, we have been assured that Spring is on its way. In 8 weeks. With an ETA of May.
You can check on Mikey’s travels by word of mouth here and by checking in right here at thepeacefulpeacock.com.
Related posts:
To the casual observer, I'm a web based writer who will remind you of who you really are.
To those unsatisfied by the limited scope of quick definition, come on over here and sit next to me. I'm Juliana.
I like to watch things change.
Torture my soul with a NM sunset! I miss the SouthWest.
I can’t wait to follow slowriders adventures!