"Cupcake!"

A friend shared this article on Facebook and I felt compelled to share it here:

The Real Reason Why Bicycles are the Key to Better Cities | Sustainable Cities Collective

We couldn't agree more. We just see our city so much more now that we are bicycling around it. We notice and point out and discuss and wave and connect. 

However, it's not all pretty.

After feeling great stopping by the Bicycle Appreciation Breakfast at Yale (B.A.B.Y.) this morning, C, S, and I saddled up again, rushing a bit to get to school on time.  The boys decided to play a travel game called "Cupcake." One person designates an objects he sees repeatedly along the route as a "Cupcake" and without telling the others just what this specific thing is, he calls out "Cupcake!" every time he sees it. The other folks need to make guesses as to just what "Cupcake" really is.  Enthusiastically calling out from the longtail, the boys went back and forth, designating street signs and flowers and pedestrians as "Cupcakes."   Finally, along our final stretch, S picked out the last "Cupcake" object.

"Cupcake!" he yelled. "Cupcake! Cupcake! Cupcake!" His words coming faster and faster as he saw the object repeatedly. "Cupcake! Cupcake! Cupcake!" Whatever this chosen object was clearly all around us.

C and I threw out guesses, "Grass!" "Cars!" "Water!" as we rode close to the river.

"Nope," S repeated over and over again. And then more, "Cupcake! Cupcake! Cupcake!"

Finally, all out of guesses, C and I asked S to reveal just what his "Cupcake" was.

S, pleased that he had stumped us, replied, "Oh, Cupcake is trash thrown on the ground."