Boyds Untethered

Mike on a Bike atop the Seawall was a familiar sight this summer. I logged a number of rides while recovering from bout with terminal Plantar Faciitis. It’s about 7 1/2 miles from our apartment to the east end of the island. All of it along along the sidewalk that tops the seawall. It’s a flat ride and because it’s the seawall sidewalk there are no breaks for cross streets etc. But you will get lots of tourists to navigate your way through (especially on the weekends) and there will most probably be some wind… so it’s a little different every ride. And when you get to the east end of the island, you are at the channel that the big ships use to enter the harbor and port… so there is always something to see. But these adventures are behind me now… as someone stole my bike in November.

One of the many fun things you can do in Galveston is rent a Slingshot to drive. They are basically a three-wheeled motorcycle with side by side buck seats. In some parts of the country they are classified as an “auto cycle” while elsewhere they are subject to the same rules of the road as a motorcycle… including the need to wear a helmet. The owner of one of the slingshot rental companies lives in our apartment complex… so we often have one in our parking lot. This one is tricked out with lots of lights… I believe to create advertising and interest when he drives it around at night. But here he cruising the parking lot in our complex with his small daughter on his lap… so that she can drive.

B rush off your bowlers and prepare your petticoats as Galveston Historical Foundation presents the 48th annual Dickens on The Strand.  Held the first weekend in December, the annual festival is a holiday tradition with great family programming, live entertainment, special events and more.  Dickens on The Strand, based on 19th-century Victorian London, features parades, entertainment on four stages, new additions like Tiny Tim’s Play Land, Shopkeeper Skills Village, and roaming characters throughout the festival.  The Strand and Ship Mechanics Streets and all the side streets between the two are turned into pedestrian mall for the 100,000 or so who attend the event over 3 days. Costumed vendors peddle their wares from street stalls and rolling carts laden with holiday food and drink, Victorian-inspired crafts, clothing, jewelry, holiday decorations, and gift items. Many who  attend will wear Victorian, Steam Punk and because it’s Galveston even Pirate costumes… givin...

A few weeks ago, Linda got the idea that we should try surfing. Our daily beach walks often took us past the Jimmy’s surf school. After chatting with Steve, who gives the lessons we decided to sign up. Linda did much better than I… but mostly we learned the importance of the “pop up”.  That’s the move that gets you from prone on the board to a squatting position so you can then stand up. Long story short, neither of us has that move. And, without it you are either a log on the board or about to fall off.