People on Bikes: The Couch curve

See them up close below.
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)

It’s been way too long since the last installment of our People on Bikes column, so before this sunny and warm weather leaves us for good, I figured it was time for another one.

This morning I rolled out to NE Couch (say “cooch”), where it makes that sweeping bend just before the Burnside Bridge. I sat in the grass across from the bike lane for about 25 minutes, snapping up as many people on bikes as I could. I saw a mix of bodies and bikes; but not the quite the diversity I’ve seen at other locations (like Waterfront Park). While it’s a semi-popular bike traffic, going west on NE Couch and entering downtown via the Burnside Bridge isn’t exactly a place where the “interested but concern” feel comfortable. We know the problems at Couch and Grand; and then there’s the Burnside Bridge freeway and how it unceremoniously dumps you into downtown (don’t get me started).

What I saw at NE Couch were a lot of fast bikes with skinny tires and people who were fit and looked like expert riders. It was an interesting contrast to the three kids on scooters and moms pushing strollers that I saw on a bike boulevard earlier this morning. I was also struck by how many women were riding. Nationally it appears that just 21% of people riding are women; but that number is higher in Portland (31% at last official count). I bet we get close to 40% when next year’s numbers come out.

Take a look for yourself (prepare to scroll)…

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*Image removed by request.

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-41

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-29

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-39

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-38

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-37

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-36

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-35

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-42

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-33

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-32

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-31

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-30

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-40

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-28

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-27

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-26

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-25

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-24

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-23

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-22

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-21

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-20

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-19

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-18

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-17

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-16

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-15

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-14

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-13

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-12

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-11

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-10

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-6

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-5

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-4

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-3

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-8

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People on Bikes NE Couch at Burnside-1

Like seeing People on Bikes? Check out past editions here.

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, contact me via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a paying subscriber.

Thanks for reading.

BikePortland has served this community with independent community journalism since 2005. We rely on subscriptions from readers like you to survive. Your financial support is vital in keeping this valuable resource alive and well.

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Travis Fulton
Travis Fulton
12 years ago

Nice man, you’ve got the action bike shot dialed in.

Mindful Cyclist
Mindful Cyclist
12 years ago

Well, the one time I was actually there when you were taking pictures, I was missed…. 🙁

Syzlak
Syzlak
12 years ago

5/39 people cycling without helmets
25/39 people with everyday bike features (fitted with fenders and in some cases racks and upright handlebars)

dweendaddy
dweendaddy
12 years ago
Reply to  Syzlak

And only 1/39 with dynamo lighting??

anon
anon
12 years ago
Reply to  Syzlak

5/39 with headphones on. I will never understand that.

Sunny
Sunny
12 years ago
Reply to  anon

Some find it less aggravating to being yelled at or forced to listen to loud, obnoxious cars. The added concentration has to be weighed against the benefits of car sounds warning of their presence. Personally I don’t ride with earphones, but in the past they’ve created a sense of calm that lessens the fear and distraction of being among car traffic. I don’t really on sound to prevent the car behind me from running me over — I have mirrors for that.

Steve B.
12 years ago
Reply to  anon

Yeah! Why aren’t more people listening to music on their commute?

Eric
Eric
12 years ago
Reply to  anon

I am one of the 5. My excuse/rationalization is that I am listening to podcasts (i.e., human speech), not music, so the auditory density of the content is much lower, making it easier to hear noise around me. That being said, I still feel guilty about it sometimes.

John Landolfe
12 years ago
Reply to  Eric

Oh, I’d say you’re being a little hard on yourself. You’re safe and legal. You’re not under social contract to *appear* safe to strangers on the Internet 😉

Timmy
Timmy
11 years ago
Reply to  John Landolfe

Not everyone with buds in is drowning out the traffic sounds.

I *always* ride with my earbuds in. And I never have the music on. I just need to hear my ringer on my phone, since I am on call 24/7, and my hearing isn’t good enough to hear the little iPhone chiming away in my pocket. Also the answer button on the buds makes taking calls and easy “hands free” task.

Jerko
Jerko
12 years ago
Reply to  anon

I listen to death metal or punk when I ride!

Doug Morgan
Doug Morgan
12 years ago
Reply to  anon

Yah because driving a car with the stereo loud is dangerous some how? Well what’s the difference on a bike? Am I supposed to listen for cars? I have a mirror and I watch for them. By your flawed reasoning the deaf shouldn’t cycle. You don’t have to understand it because it isn’t dangerous to listen to the radio on a bicycle either. I have over 60,000 miles cycling to prove it.

jd
jd
12 years ago
Reply to  anon

Same reason drivers listen to the radio. Commuting is boring and music is awesome.

John Lascurettes
12 years ago
Reply to  anon

I can still hear more of the sounds around me with headphones on and music playing (at a low volume) than anyone in any car can hear with the windows up even with their radio off (and who drives with a radio off?). Seriously, I can hear my tires on the pavement (when their not drowned out by motor vehicles).

becky
becky
12 years ago
Reply to  Syzlak

3/29 on Mixtes!

fiat_luxe
fiat_luxe
12 years ago
Reply to  Syzlak

Definitely too many wearing headphones. Do people really do that?!

ADS
ADS
12 years ago
Reply to  fiat_luxe

People listen to music in their cars with the windows up. Somehow they manage. Get some mirrors for your bike and you’re good to go.

indy
indy
12 years ago
Reply to  fiat_luxe

I do for GPS directions. Phone is usually mounted or in my bag.

chucklehead
chucklehead
12 years ago
Reply to  Syzlak

That’s a much better ratio than usual (helmets).

browse
browse
12 years ago

I love it! I hope this becomes a weekly feature!

9watts
9watts
12 years ago

#20 is my favorite character/costume of all of these to date.

Alan 1.0
Alan 1.0
12 years ago
Reply to  9watts

Power Grips are a costume? 🙂

Spiffy
Spiffy
12 years ago
Reply to  9watts

he’s my new idol…

thedr9wningman
12 years ago
Reply to  9watts

It’s just how I dress… My main point is that you don’t have to dress like a sports hero/super hero to ride a bike. Bikes are functional and a part of my everyday life. So I just wear what I wear and bike. So, it isn’t a costume… it’s just me being Portland…

pengo
pengo
12 years ago
Reply to  thedr9wningman

I hear this one from time to time and don’t quite understand it. Given that literally everybody in the above photos (even the guy on the SUPER hot indyfab carbon bike) is wearing casual clothing, is this really a point that needs to be made? I ride daily for both transportation and recreation and have a cycling related job and don’t think I’ve ever heard anybody tell anybody else that spandex/technical clothing is a necessity for cycling, just that it can make sense for certain types of riding. In fact, people wearing “sports hero” clothing are probably a small minority on Portland streets. I’m not trying to knock you, I’m just genuinely curious as to who is telling you this or where you’re getting this impression. I like the bike, by the way.

Andrew K
Andrew K
12 years ago

People always look so pretty on a bike.

cycler
cycler
12 years ago

Is it wrong that when I saw #20, my first thought is “I’ve never seen a Kruisframe actually being ridden” ?

Greg
Greg
12 years ago
Reply to  cycler

I’ve seen #20 before, and I also ride my Kruis all the time 🙂

Alex Reed
Alex Reed
12 years ago
Reply to  cycler

I think I know the gentleman from #20!

thedr9wningman
12 years ago
Reply to  cycler

But it is so comfortable. I love that bike!

No, it isn’t wrong… I think they’re just not ‘normal’ bikes. I only saw 2 in Amsterdam when I was there for 4 days… not a common bike at all.

Andrew K
Andrew K
12 years ago

Whenever I see these features being posted I start thinking it would be fun to set up my big 4×5 view camera on a corner and capture bike riders going by. It would be tough, but if everyone going by followed a roughly similar path it would be possible.

I’d probably attract all sorts of attention though.

Schrauf
Schrauf
12 years ago

More Portland bike commuter porn! I vote for a weekly feature.

#28 needs a pump, big time.

Spiffy
Spiffy
12 years ago
Reply to  Schrauf

I see this when I’m on the bus all the time without a pump… and when I’m on my bike and have a pump I never see it… *sigh*

A.K.
A.K.
12 years ago
Reply to  Schrauf

Resistance training!

daisy
daisy
12 years ago

I love these! And I desperately hope I am never ever in one of them!

Sunny
Sunny
12 years ago

People on Bikes: Naked Bike Ride edition

Andyc
Andyc
12 years ago

I always love looking at this feature. This time I’m checking out the different ways people carry their bike locks. #18, doesn’t that bounce around a lot?

Scott
Scott
12 years ago

#6 Corndog

Spiffy
Spiffy
12 years ago
Reply to  Scott

mmm, yellow…

Terry D
Terry D
12 years ago

The sociologist in me just loves this pictorial snapshot of our wonderful “sub-culture.”

This makes me smile….good job.

A.K.
A.K.
12 years ago

Love the orange masi SS on #30…

spare_wheel
12 years ago

#1 and #8: seeing soles wrap around pedals makes my feet hurt.

#34: lugged carbon IF XS! want.

#35 would be better off not wearing a helment.

#38 needs bigger bike.

chucklehead
chucklehead
12 years ago
Reply to  spare_wheel

I noticed the Indy Fab also. Best damn bike in the lot.

Got an old 1999 IF Planet X. it’s still my favorite bike.

Eric
Eric
12 years ago
Reply to  spare_wheel

I am #38. And yes, you are probably right. 🙂

Timmy
Timmy
11 years ago
Reply to  Eric

In the meantime, at least show a little more seat post! Gah! Your gonna ruin you knees like that.

BellaBici
BellaBici
12 years ago

Love this feature, Jonathan!!! Really enjoy the diversity of riders with the commonality of the enjoyment of bicycling.

Your photography is right on. These posts always make me smile and infuse me with hope. Thank you. (oh, and thanks for taking the time to number the photos, enjoy reading other people’s eagle eye observations and wit)

Alex Reed
Alex Reed
12 years ago

Whoa, look at #29 stylin’. I wish I looked that good on my bike… 🙂

anon
anon
12 years ago
Reply to  Alex Reed

Love the shorts but the Igloo made me cringe a little. Doesn’t it look like it’s providing extra front braking power?

Paul in the 'couve
Paul in the 'couve
12 years ago
Reply to  anon

Hey, I’m guessing he curates a collection of classic vintage coolers. Awesome stuff! Mixing the eras too – the White belt … and RB-1 a Playmate cooler, the best of every era.

Joe
Joe
12 years ago

TGIF ya’ll

Joe
Joe
12 years ago

I love this. I’d love to find the BMI of average people riding bikes and people in their cars. I bet it’s a big difference!

Kevin Wagoner
Kevin Wagoner
12 years ago

That first picture is awesome

Jim Lee
Jim Lee
12 years ago

Did not see that many lookers on the SunRiver paths this morning.

peter haas
peter haas
12 years ago

Jonathan, I echo the love for this photo series of bike commuters. I always check and see if you photographed anyone I know or at least recognize. Today I had a pleasant surprise when I saw that you caught me! I had to tell everyone in my office…”Check out rider number 21! “. You made my day! Thank you.

mark kenseth
mark kenseth
12 years ago

Nice! I ride the Couch Curve often and this morning was one of those oftens, but 6:30am must have been too early for JM. I have the same worries about riding that route, before and after the bridge, but I have to add to those worries the broken glass and other bits in the bike lane of the Curve. All the cars going through the turn push the bits toward the bike lane.

Opus the Poet
12 years ago

I saw what looked like a modern Pedersen (#20), and a Cattrike Trail (#19).

Kaylarrrrr
Kaylarrrrr
12 years ago

I appreciate that you are Documenting Portland bike culture and all but I’d really like to know why it’s okay for you to post these pictures of people without any sort of permission. Being one of these people, I especially don’t understand why any of these commenters think it’s their job to criticize the way we choose to ride our bikes. It’s hard enough getting cat-called on my bike while simultaneously avoiding death by ignorant drivers, but to put my photo on here so that Internet trolls can tell me what I should/should not do and even worse, their opinion of what I look like, is ridiculous. You all need lives. If you want to talk about bike culture, I’m all for it but geez Louise be respectful.

Sunny
Sunny
12 years ago
Reply to  Kaylarrrrr

“She was riding a bike, so she was asking for it.”

Adams Carroll (News Intern)
Reply to  Kaylarrrrr

Hey kaylarrrrr,

Sorry your bad was made worse by being included here. If you’d like to be removed, just email me at jonathan@bikeportland.org and tell me which one is you.

thedr9wningman
12 years ago
Reply to  Kaylarrrrr

I kinda feel similarly. It is pretty weird to see a picture of yourself on the web and have someone on Facebook tell you. But I think a part of it is our completely lack-of-privacy culture. What are you going to do? You can’t control all images of yourself and you can’t control what other people do. There is a certain amount of just acceptance I think that needs to happen here. I know that Jonathan doesn’t intend any harm in this. He’s just documenting what he sees as a sociological documentation of what is.

And you can’t control other people’s judgements of who you are or how you look. Plus, who cares what others think? It has little bearing on who you are.

Instead of being upset, I find it easier to just accept and be OK with it. There’s really nothing I can do about it.

Be well…

Michelle
Michelle
12 years ago

@Kaylarrrr A nicer way to approach this would have been to ask Jonathan to remove your picture.

Regarding permission, if you’re in a public place a photographer/journalist is within his legal rights to photograph you.

http://content.photojojo.com/tips/legal-rights-of-photographers/

WeenK
WeenK
12 years ago
Reply to  Michelle

A nicer way for your readers to approach this article would have been for them to be nice to the subjects of the photos. And I’m a bit surprised you didn’t say as much.

are
are
12 years ago
Reply to  WeenK

not sure which critique might have applied to decisions kaylar has made, and i actually think one legitimate function of this feature can be to highlight fairly common practices that could present safety issues.

but i did note earlier in this thread several completely inappropriate remarks that would fall into the category of what kaylar refers to as “catcalls.” on the one hand, it might be a good idea for jonathan to delte these, but on the other (if the people posting were not effectively anonymous) it might be good to leave them up so that mikemike, spiffy, and dmc can be exposed to some public shaming.

Brrr
Brrr
12 years ago
Reply to  Michelle

The “nicer way” would be not to assume you have permission to publish someone’s picture before actually getting it.

Kaylarrrrr
Kaylarrrrr
12 years ago

Well that sucks as I happened to photographed the same day I got food poisoning and collapsed in public. So thanks. It’s good to end my day with a bunch of random strangers judging me for the decisions I choose to make. Another commenter even said she’s glad when she sees her picture NOT in these posts. Would you go up to someone in real life and tell them what you think about them over something like this? Would you go up to someone smoking a cigarette and tell them how horrible it is? This is no different than religious people going door to door telling you there beliefs whether you want to hear it or not. People are allowed to make their own decisions. Just because this is the Internet and no one can see you doesn’t make it okay. I didn’t ask for this. This is a terribly vulnerable position to be caught in so if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything. Thanks.

Sunny
Sunny
12 years ago
Reply to  Kaylarrrrr

Translation: some people are sensitive to unflattering photos of themselves in public. Please guess which is me and delete accordingly.

Gib
Gib
12 years ago

#26- Love the “sapphire” Lemond. I have the same bike. Nice to see another out there.

Rol
Rol
12 years ago

Don’t reveal the secret pronunciation! How will we pick out the out-of-towners?

Elmira Gulch
Elmira Gulch
12 years ago
Reply to  Rol

At least we still have Ankeny.

Timmy
Timmy
11 years ago
Reply to  Rol

LOL, I lived in PDX for five years, and I think it took me nearly that long to learn how to say it properly.

Kaylarrrrr
Kaylarrrrr
12 years ago

@sunny you just proved how immature many of these comments are. And for the record the picture of me here is awesome, I’m upset that it comes with all of this snark and judgement from people like you. Anyway, if you feel like trolling, you should try reddit, it’ll be more entertaining for you, I’m sure.

I appreciate that other people realize the inappropriateness of some of these comments and I hope that you can remember that these are real people with feelings and to try and be kind.

Jonathan I hope that in the future you can take more effort and responsibility in the moderation of your commenters as I feel this is your job. I hope you realize that many of your subjects may not enjoy what you are doing to them by opening them up to public discussion for something as trivial as this. Though it is apparently within your rights as a photojournalist to do this, you should try and be more aware of how it effects these individuals.

Adams Carroll (News Intern)
Reply to  Kaylarrrrr

Kaylarrrrr,

As anyone who has read this site for a while will tell you, I take comments and I take the protection of subjects in my stories very seriously. I have photographed many naked rides and have always respected requests to remove images without hesitation when I’ve been asked to.

In this case, I regret if some of the comments have made you uncomfortable. Again, happy to remove your photo if you’d like.

Also, I just went through and deleted several comments just to clean things up. But for the record (for folks just reading this) none of the comments were blatantly inappropriate in my opinion. I think – and correct me if I’m wrong Kaylarrrr — this was more a matter of you feeling that I put you in a position of public scrutiny without your permission, more than it was about people saying lewd/crude things about you. Right? (And I still don’t even know which image is you!)

Thanks again for the feedback.

are
are
12 years ago

how is someone “drooling” over the image of a woman’s legs not blatantly inappropriate?

Adams Carroll (News Intern)
Reply to  are

it’s all about context and tone are. Thanks. The comment was deleted along with a few others and the photo has been removed by request of the subject.

Sunny
Sunny
12 years ago

Jonathan, when someone stares you down and is not smiling, it might mean they don’t want their picture up.

Sunny
Sunny
12 years ago
Reply to  Kaylarrrrr

This is all so confusing. Now with the deleted comments, it makes me look sane.

are
are
12 years ago
Reply to  Kaylarrrrr

if that is directed at me, i demand examples

are
are
12 years ago
Reply to  Kaylarrrrr

a quick duckduckgo search turned up the stuff you are talking about, and while i do now understand your comment was not directed at me, i will suggest to you that the fact that someone posts material of a particular flavor elsewhere on the internet does not imply that she is inviting people to abuse her here. and i will suggest to jonathan that he might consider monitoring comments calling another commenter a “hypocrite” and suggesting she “get mental help.”

Adams Carroll (News Intern)
Reply to  are

thanks are. Just deleted that comment. Must have overlooked it the first time.

Brrr
Brrr
12 years ago

Sad to see so many conforming to the styrofoam hat hysteria. Happy to see I’m not the only one who has figured out you can hear the traffic better with earbuds in blocking out wind noise.

Steve
Steve
12 years ago

Minus the helmet on the woman in shot #16 and you have a true Dutchie. =)

danielle
danielle
12 years ago

just another person with the opinion that what you did here is creepy, inappropriate, and honestly, uninteresting. you took a bunch of pictures of white people on fairly nice bicycles. this is not news. and you managed to piss some women off. but i guess we are used to being pissed off at bike men, so keep it up!

JL
JL
12 years ago

I quickly found several posters by googling there “name” Easy to tell who is commenting the way they do and why.
If you want to be so anonymous and private try actually keeping your stuff private especially on the internet.

dmc
dmc
12 years ago

People are so sensitive these days….

Seaners
Seaners
12 years ago

I like the pant leg clips on the guy in photo #5–very sleek looking. It’s definitely a good idea to keep bike grease off quality denim.

mpp
mpp
12 years ago

Watch out #4, you left your bag open!

peejay
peejay
12 years ago

Hey world: if you see me in public, you can take my picture, and you can talk about me, even if it’s mean things. I’ll do the same to you, but I’m usually a pretty nice guy.

Love the pictures, Jonathan. Keep it up. You have this thing just right.

Eric
Eric
12 years ago
Reply to  peejay

peejay, thank you for restoring my faith in the internets.

Caroline
12 years ago

Great cross-section of folks! Fun to look at. 🙂

jwwz
jwwz
12 years ago

too many helmets