i love my bicycle.

i named her shrimp. she's a her because i feel like a pilot out on the open ocean when we go for a ride. i feel like i'm seeing the world for the first time, exploring.

my bike was a big part of my queer awakening. i learned freedom and joy and how to communicate with and love my body on my bike. i learned to care for and maintain people and things working on bikes. when i ride with my bike, my body and my bike become one, both beautiful, both machines for joy, legs and steel and pretty colors and ocean spray and pacific forests and new york streets.

together we navigate the hot summer and the cool marine layer and friendship and grief and the little joys and pains of life.

i built my bike myself, surrounded and helped by my friends who i made through being strange and loving bikes.

my bike and i have been through a lot, and even though we don’t ride as much as we once did, i'm happy to have her. she has taught me to see the world is a more joyful, thoughtful, caring way.

<3

a project of nat aka wendy almonds