Bikers

While I walk to and from classes, I watch the bikes.

I've only been doing this the last two or three days, because I've only had classes since Thursday, and, before that, before campus was busy and dangerous, I biked whenever I could (i.e.: before sundown).

Aside from enjoying seeing the different kinds of bikes, I like watching the riders themselves.

Unlike when walking, they're not really likely to be talking to people around them, even if they know them, and, unlike when walking, they're not in full control of their modes of transportation.

I like watching the varying levels of biking comfort, the looks on peoples' faces as they enter and exit bike circles, avoid pedestrians, cross streets, check their phones, look for a place to lock up. They're not pondering or deep in thought in the same way they may be while walking, while totally in control of their movement; they're thinking, on some level, about biking, at all times. "Turn, stop, slow down, speed up, look left, look right, crosswalk, turn." It's similar to when people drive, from what I've seen, but, unlike looking at other people in other cars, or even looking at someone driving a car you're in, watching people bike is... personal. Vulnerable. You can see their whole body, the subtleties of their movements, every exact and tiny reaction to every exact and tiny action, even those that are unintended. The glancing, the blank-mindedness, the full concentration that they give riding is relaxing, and peaceful, both when you're the biker and when you're watching the biker. And, I think, when you watch someone bike, see them bike by and react and predict and not really think about anything other than their current actions, and at most their very next action, you see a part of them that you don't often get to. You see them almost asleep, hibernating, so to speak, putting their personalities on pause to focus on their actions. They may be slack-jawed, or blank-faced, or maybe their brows are furrowed in concentration, or they're smiling, briefly awoken from the drowsy, near-sleeping state of whole, pure concentration by the presence of a familiar face, or by an expectation to respond with gratitude to kind passerby, fellow bikers, or drivers of cars.

I like that.

That's all.