My Birthday was unusual this year, as is most every day these past several months. Never has it fallen on the Indy 500. Most likely, it never will again.
While the Circle was getting cleaned up this week, the street right outside my office was getting uglier by the day with people passed out, drug dealing out in the open, threats, and two stabbings right outside the City Market across from the Mayor’s office a day before he and his latest committee announced $750,000 in new cameras and initiatives. I hope they don’t catch me skateboarding!
At 48, after a weekend of videoing, food, and drinks with friends, I settled in to edit a video from the footage backing up on my hard drive and opted on the contents in a folder named “the one wheel gang.”
Lacking much of the interviewing in my last several videos, this one focuses mainly on riding through the city trying to keep up with a gang of electric Onewheel riders and their electric skateboard riding friend, Paul, who has been featured in a couple past videos.
Just prior to my encounter with the Onewheel gang, I met a young skateboarder named Brian who I’ve videoed a few times since that day. We talked briefly about skateboarding and the “scene” in Indianapolis before going our own ways. His demeanor was something I wish I’d see more on the street.
It was only a few blocks later that I ran into Paul and his crew under the Arts Garden.
As I struggled to keep up on our route through White River State Park, Lucas Oil, and Eli Lilly, I realized that I should have drink a whole lot more water before setting out on such a blazing hot day.
Once we hit East street on the outskirts of Lilly, I had to bail or face heat stroke.
At almost 48-years-old and 7 years out from my first diagnosis with cancer, I was happy to be alive riding the sidewalks gratefully more spry than I ever was in my 30’s. I had the purest, most true, green power under my feet, and while I couldn’t quite keep up, I never lost sight before saying goodbye. Hope to see the gang again in September at the first Indiana Float Fest 2020. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/indiana-…