Penny Farthing

Chuck D just told me a week ago what they called high-wheel bicycles. They're penny farthings. And in a good case of perceptual accentuation, we saw two penny farthings on our bike ride today along the Schuylkill.

Here's a picture (taken with my cell phone, unfortunately) of two guys who were riding the circuit up to the Art Museum. The guy with the handlebar mustache said he's been riding for a long time, and even held a speed record for a while on the "bike." We stopped and talked to the guys for a bit, then got to see them mount the bikes (it's a running start where they jump on a hook at the back of the bike and get a leg up) and ride on.

We spent time riding behind them, and my mind wandered, wondering what it would be like to fall off one of those suckers. Ah, more fodder for iFlipFlop. Then again, I might be better off closer to the ground. Gravity is not my friend.