I have been riding my bicycle through traffic in NYC since I moved here. I have had long commutes and short ones - Bed-Stuy to Midtown, and at one point, a three block commute. I’ve had the same commuter bike the entire time. My trusty steed. I know that as a man, my bike should be a girl’s name by inanimate object naming standards, but it is not. It is named Keith after Keith Alexander. I never met Keith but I feel a connection to him that is difficult to explain. I am also blessed to be in possession of one of his bikes (the LOOK on his blog). Keith passed in a bicycle accident just over 2 years ago. My close friends and family were very close to Keith, but I never crossed his path. As I ride through the streets of New York City I can’t help but feel that he is on my back wheel pushing me harder as I ride through the park on his LOOK, or guiding me like a shaman through traffic as I ride home from work. He gives me strength every time I ride, almost every day of the year.

Related posts:

1. Taxi Ripoff!
2. Bike meet door, door meet bike.
3. Sad to see you go so young…
4. Bike vs. SUV
5. Last Night’s Critical Mass