rss feedIn Port Townsend, Wash.: One if by land, two if by sea – and three with all else
If you only look up at the Victorian architecture in this city that borders the Puget Sound and Strait of Juan de Fuca, you might miss a fascinating human-powered vehicle.
That’s right – this red-and-white tricycle with hearts, beefy tires with fins in the rear, a long-necked steering wheel and wooden pontoons that would make any floating bridge engineer happy.
And you know what?
It apparently works – on land, sand, mud and water, according to a sign left on it.
It’s a kinetic sculpture that the artist left in front of some apartments until its next temporary home can be found.
My parents, wife and son visited Port Townsend in early June. My dad, son and I wandered off looking at the water and the great architectural sites that this city has to offer.
Then, for some reason, we spotted the tricycle, sitting across from these buildings.
I’m sure the Victorian-era building has much history for a visitor to learn. But for some reason, I kept studying the kinetic sculpture tricycle.
After all, it had everything a bicycle has – plus more.
It had a derailleur, crankset, turning mechanism, horn. You name it, it looked like it was there.
It looks just as fun to ride as I’m sure it was to build.
The only catch, of course, is that I didn’t have the chance to take it out for a spin – on the nearby beach and in the water.
That being said, though, my son enjoyed sitting on it for a few minutes. He pretended to drive it around – which was cool with me.
For decades, I’ve found human-powered vehicles to be fascincating, partially because you question whether a goal will actually be reached.
Of course, you rejoice when it is accomplished, whether that’s in the air or on the water.
And this red-and-white multipurpose tricycle and boat just looks great – so much so that I kind of overdosed on taking and posting images of it.
But think about how much fun you’d have riding that to your office, the store or school.
Like I’ve said before: Let the good times roll.
