Bikes and looking for Gary….or at least his spirit…

by admin

Gary and Handmade Bike Bags[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaI5IRuS2aE[/youtube]

Sometimes I see something creative and inspiring and I have to talk to the person who made it, wore it, put it out there for us. And people are so kind about sharing why…how….. Like Gary, when he told me about his beautiful handmade bike bags.

This is Gary smiling in front of the Delano McDonald’s, where the 21st c. cowboys hang out.

And I think I have sometimes called Gary homeless, just to identify, but Gary isn’t homeless at all.  Because Gary knows more than anyone that this land was made for you and me and he. 

Gary’s outlook on life seemed like a great way to start Monday morning. And, since the days are getting shorter, you might see him.  He’ll be heading from Jackson Hole back down south and maybe hangin’ for a while in Wichita. So, I wanted to alert you to look for him.

We may have met him before and we’ll certainly meet him again. He is a pleasure…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31x1hYntyKk[/youtube]

And, given all the negative stuff we see about our country sometimes, I feel his outlook is refreshing. Gary takes the things I complicate, and makes me realize how complicated we can make our lives.

I would expect that riding on a bike across the countryside throughout the year is a pretty good way to see how beautiful America really is. Here is Gary, whittling it down to the essence…

 

 

 

Gary the Grizz on bike bags: utube

by admin

Gary does his own work the best. Here he is….

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caIWB0ZZsCM[/youtube]

The webbing material is found either discarded or on the side of the road as it breaks with wear. It is used to tie down stuff onto flatbed trucks. Gary used to drive a truck, hauling beef with Kansas-place-of-origin meatpack from the local butcher to a pastrami deli king in California. On his return, he would haul produce back to Albuquerque. Burned out on mode of transportation, but always a Cowboy on the open road.

"bike bag" "creative" "homeless"

Closeup: Gary's hand-stitched two-tone webbing

Gary will be headed to Jackson as soon as the snow’s over, so about now. I think the place where he may frequent is called the Mission. He also goes to the library which is where he saw the picture of the Canadians with the bike bags. He doesn’t do internet, but we have a date to connect through the librarian so he can see his post, Paula’s agenda, probably not Gary’s though he politely acted interested. He doesn’t have a cell, so we’ll let you know when and how we rendez-vous, but we will meet again. Paula’s pony express is on it and now I have you enlisted to help. If you pass by Gary, please tell him Paula from Delano says hi.