The Start of a New Decade - Harder and Faster

A six day weekend will no doubt garner mulitple highlights, especially when one of those days is your 40th birthday (which happens to be today, day five) but the highlight came on what could have been a regular old two day weekend.  Saturday night.  Lincoln Hall.  ()oe, who's always good for a new music connection, invited me out to see Twin Shadow.  A quick preview on the night-of linked me to the other opener, Yawn.  I'm not a rock writer so I'll be simple and say that they both had an 80's influence, but done in a new and fresh way.  The crowd was a bit older, even though the bands were young!  The drummer, well, one of the drummers, from Yawn could have been 16!  He could have been 22 too, who knows, but you get the idea.  The crowd was great because everyone there seemed to be e()oying themselves and experiencing why I think Lincoln Hall has become the unanimously praised venue that it has. . . when you're there, you can't help but think how cool you are to be checking out this band, hanging out with all these other cool people.

Which is not unlike cycling. So when I watched as several 40's age cyclists rolled up to the venue I couldn't help being a little giddy and voyeuristic.  Mr. LeTour swung in by himself.  Parked his bike right in front of the venue as ()oe and I stood outside for a quick smoke.  Inside, he situated himself right up next to the stage, but off to the left.  A fan in much anticipation of this show, it was apparent, though he didn't want his possible obsession to come out too strongly.  Photos were taken with his point and shoot indiscreetly.  Next was Ms. Masi and Mr. Felt.  They rolled their bikes on by shortly after Mr. LeTour walked inside.  Respectful, walking their bikes on the sidewalk.  Good cyclists are good people.  Inside, they had my vote for coolest couple in Chicago.  Relaxed and into the music.  Cycling keeps couples together??  A stretch, but dang cute they were.  Also in their 40's.

It was a poignant night in the middle of my staycation that had me feeling cool to be at Lincoln Hall, cool to be turning 40, and most of all cool to be a cyclist.  And, as the woman in the crowd yelled, "Harder and Faster"!

Lets go Thunder Bikes.