The Presidio

As soon as we were on our way, J. said, 'Can you believe that the guy in the White House wants to take this way?! Ridiculous!' 

I said that I could not believe it and what a shame that that would be. I was having this conversation while riding a bike. Well, I was 'driving' the bike, a pedicab of sorts with an e-motor and an ample basket equipped to carry a maximum of two passengers at the front, and the person I was speaking with was 'passengering', if you will. We were engaged in conversation while I was ferrying him and another person, clients at a senior center located in the Presidio, around Tunnel Tops, the newest bit of the park to be built up for visitors to enjoy. For approximately 20 years, this former military installation has been a boon to SF visitors from far and wide. The Presidio is a gem and huge draw for the city. And the menace in the White House has recently issued an executive order to eliminate the Presidio Trust, the federal agency that manages the park. 

I had meant for this post to be largely about the beauty that is the Presidio and how clients of this particular center are treated to lovely views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and the Palace of Fine Arts (if we trundle over to Crissy Field as sometimes is our wont), but J. dove right in as soon as we were on our bike ride and I felt compelled to include his thoughts. Most of the clients who consent to go for a ride are either not very verbal or keep to speaking about things more in the moment, if you will, but J. still has his mental faculties in check to the degree that he is more than capable of talking about the shit-show that is our current government. As a 'pilot', I try to meet the passengers where they are and am more than happy talk about current affairs, even if they do make me steaming mad. B., the other passenger that day, wanted to talk about how he was keen to go for an ice-cream after the ride. So he and I talked about what flavors we might like to have should we find ourselves at an ice-cream parlor. I also found out that B. had a penchant for ice-cream cake! The best thing about the trips with these guests is that they get to be outside taking in the view, enjoying the fresh air and getting both a bit of vitamin D and some wind in the hair. -not a bad thing, at all.

Me and two guests biking around Tunnel Tops