Liam Sullivan's Ideas and Reflections
Last Saturday, I marched in Jamaica Plain’s annual Wake Up the Earth Parade with my daughter who moved between two groups in the parade, her school and her afterschool program. As often happens, the kids’ baseball games conflicted with actually attending the Wake Up the Earth festival, but I did enjoy the many artistic expressions of my JP neighbors in the parade.
On Sunday, June 10th, my daughter Kay (a.k.a. “The Toothless Wonder”) and I rode in the Bikes Not Bombs 31st Annual Bike-A-Thon. The ride helps raise funds for Bikes Not Bombs’ social justice programs in Boston and abroad.
We met our goal for fundraising (including for my son Peter who was not able to participate), but Bikes Not Bombs is still accepting donations if you wish to contribute.
It was a beautiful day to ride, and except for the steep uphills right at the beginning, it was a terrific ride.
Read about our previous Bike-A-Thons in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017.
It’s once again time to get back in the saddle for one of my favorite events of the year, the Bikes Not Bombs Bike-A-Thon.
Bikes Not Bombs is a social justice organization based in Jamaica Plain, MA not far from where I live. Their goal is to use the bicycle as a vehicle for social change. The accomplish this mission by:
I routinely get my bike repaired and by bicycle supplies at the Bikes Not Bombs shop in Jamaica Plain, and I’m always impressed by the positive impact they have in the community. Especially when I see young people out on their Boston By Foot group rides.
Here’s how you can help:
This is our sixth time participating. Read about our previous Bike-A-Thons in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017.
On Sunday, June 4, I will be riding with my kids Kay and Peter in the Bikes Not Bombs Bike-A-Thon! The Bike-A-Thon is always a fun event and it raise money for a terrific cause. This will be our fifth time participating.
Based in Boston not far from where we live, Bikes Not Bombs serves two great purposes. First they collect and renovate bicycles to ship to developing communities in Central America, the Carribean and Africa. These bicycles help people meet crucial transportation needs with an easily maintained and environmentally friendly vehicle. Secondly, they help youth right here in Boston learn skills such as urban bike riding and bicycle repair that contributes to building their confidence and leadership skills. Please help us in our efforts by making a generous donation!
Here’s how you can help:
Read about our previous Bike-A-Thons in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2016.
I started a tradition back in 1996 of making a list of the most memorable events of the year. My definition of memorable can include both the positive and the negative, but generally it’s the good things that make the list. That first list in 1996 had exactly twenty items, so I’ve made the list a top twenty every year since.
Here is my 20th annual list.
Previously:
On June 7th, I rode in the Bikes Not Bombs Bike-A-Thon for the third time. I seem to participate every other year, although it’s such a lovely event for a great cause that I need to commit to doing it annually. I was joined by children Kay, who rode in to co-pilot’s seat, and Peter, who pedaled his own bike for the ten-mile ride. The three of us were able to raise $615 which was part of the record $209,280 raised by a record 866 riders! Our donation page is still open to receive more contributions should you be so inclined
When we first arrived at the starting point near Stony Brook station, we saw lots of bikes with brooms sticking off the back. I thought maybe I’d missed out on a theme for the ride, but it turned out this was a fleet of bikes for a team called The Golden Sneetches. After checking-in and eating breakfast, we got on line to start the ride and found ourselves behind our nextdoor neighbors who were also festively attired. Note to self: wear a costume next time.
The Bikes Not Bombs staff introduced our ride, warning us that there were steep uphills early on as we headed away from Jamaica Plain, but we’d be rewarded with a nice long downhill after the rest area. The hills were tough for Peter who rides a single-gear Schwinn. He complained about having to go up so much and asked repeatedly when we’d get to the rest area, but persevered and kept on pedaling. Another wrench in the works was that near the halfway point of the ride, we ended up running into a charity 5K run! A person from that other event insisted that we bike down a side street meaning that myself and a number of Golden Sneetches had to navigate a new route on the fly.
At last we made it to the rest area in Brookline and refreshed by orange slices and Gatorade, were able to carry on with the rest of the ride. Not only was it mostly downhill, but Peter began to recognize the streets of Brookline as being close to home. We pedaled past Allandale Farm and the Arboretum and back into central Jamaica Plain to finish the ride. The kids received medals and we ate some lunch and played for a while before heading home for a much-needed. Well, the kids were still full of energy, so they played with Mom while I napped.
Previously:
I started a tradition back in 1996 of making a list of the most memorable events of the year. My definition of memorable can include both the positive and the negative, but generally it’s the good things that make the list. That first list in 1996 had exactly twenty items, so I’ve made the list a top twenty every year since. I usually try to post this list close to December 31st, but late is better than never.
My 2014 list is a typical hodge-podge of activity. Some of the events have links to when I wrote about them at the time. Others I wrote a little bit more about in this post.
January – Furnace – Our furnace overheated and died during our holiday travels last year, and so we had a cold New Years at home, even with new space heaters bought for the occasion. We got a new furnace installed, and it cost lots and lots and lots of money, but it works very well. Definitely not a good thing, but certainly memorable, and it all worked out in the end.
January – Ice Skating – Peter took an ice skating class and I went ice skating for the first time in years. My skates don’t fit anymore – ouch. But we had fun. Here’s my first ever animated GIF of Peter skating:
Through the year – Education activism – This year I learned a lot about the crises affecting public education, and joined other parents, students, and teachers to advocate for positive change. There’s a lot more I could do and should do, but I educated myself on the issues, wrote some blog posts, attended a school committee meeting, and a rally on the steps of the State House. And there were some positive results, including the defeat of a charter school expansion bill in the Massachusetts’ Senate.
February 1st – Wayne Potash concert – As aging folkies, it was a pleasure to take the kids to our old haunt of Club Passim for this special concert.
March 22nd-24th – New England Archivists Spring Meeting – My only business trip of the year took me to the lovely town of Portsmouth, NH. Highlights of the conference include a keynote speech by punk rocker Ian MacKaye about his Fugazi Live Series archives and participating in a NEA Jeopardy! tournament (my team won!).
April 21st – Patriots Day – We took back the finish line on a beautiful spring day, with my whole family cheering on the runners in the Boston Marathon.
April to September – Red Sox season – The 2014 season was not as good as the 2013 season for the Red Sox, but we had fun attending several games, including a few with tickets given by friends who have much better seats than we usually get. Since Peter is a member of Kid Nation, we can enter the ballpark early to watch batting practice from the Green Monster, and at one game Yankees pitcher Shane Green threw a ball to Peter. We saw rookies Alex Hassan and Garin Cecchini get their first major league hits. And we sat behind home plate at McCoy Stadium and watching future Red Sox clobber their opponents. We rode our bikes to Fenway and used the new bike parking. But probably the coolest thing is when Susan and Peter got to help with the banner for the 2004 World Series Champions reunion in May. You can see them below the 4 in the photo below.
April 22nd-25th – Spring Break in Virginia – Peter & I visited my mother in Virginia and spent time exploring Colonial Williamsburg and playing at Go Karts Plus.
June 15 – Father’s Day – Tradition dictates that Father’s Day is celebrated with brunch and a nature walk. This year we dined at Nancy’s Airfield Cafe in Stow and then explored the swamps and caves at Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary.
June 12th – July 13 – World Cup – I loved getting sucked into the quadrennial event, and following the ups and downs of the US Men’s National Team. Particularly fun was attending public viewing parties in Watertown (see the celebration of Clint Dempsey’s goal against Portugal below) and at Boston City Hall. Then I spent the entire final making bad puns on Facebook.
June 21st – BTU School Summer Blastoff – Ostensibly a fundraiser for our son’s school, but moreso this was an opportunity to get out of the house and dance the night away with Susan.
July 20th & 27th – Cambridge Common walking tour – For the third time, I had the privilege of researching, writing, and leading a walking tour for Boston By Foot. This time we explored the endlessly fascinating history of Cambridge Common and it’s environs. The official tour had a good turnout despite a downpour. If you missed it, we’ll be running it again on Sunday, September 27, 2015 at 2 pm.
August 17 – Crane Beach – All summer long my daughter Kay asked to go to the beach. Finally, as summer was drawing to a close we made a day-long outing to Crane Beach in Ipswich. It may have been the best day in Kay’s young life. We’ll have to return to her happy place more often next summer.
August 30 – September 2 – Great Wolf Lodge – We met up with Susan’s parents at Great Wolf Lodge in the Poconos Mountains of Pennsylvania for four days of swimming, sliding, playing, and eating. It was cheezy fun.
September 20th – Baseball Clinic – My son loves baseball and so there was no doubt that he would enjoy a free baseball clinic for children hosted by the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Jim Rice Field in Roxbury. Former major league ballplayers instructed the children. They practiced throwing with Rich Rodriguez and Joe Johnson, outfield drills with Billy Sample, baserunning with Al Severinsen, and infield drills with John Tudor (seen handing a ball to my son below).
September 27th – Rockin’ With Raptors – The annual festival at the Boston Nature Center, the Mass Audubon nature center closest to our house, was a blast. There was barbecue and cake, birdhouse building, face painting, music, live animal demonstrations and many other activities. And of course, the stars of the show were the birds of prey. Peter was particularly devoted to asking the volunteer lots of questions about the raptors.
October 11th to 13th – Cooperstown – We went away for Columbus Day Weekend to Cooperstown, NY, staying at the lovely Lake House Hotel and visiting the Farmers Museum during the annual Tractor Fest, the Cullen Pumpkin Farm, and National Baseball Hall of Fame.
October 20th to 27th – Jury duty – I served on a challenging criminal trial with contentious deliberations. And I was appointed foreperson. It was a stressful week, but hopefully we made the right decision.
November 23rd – Kay leads church in dancing – One day at the beginning of church service at Hope Central in JP, my daughter went up in front and started dancing in circles. Then the pastor joined in. Then several people throughout the congregation started dancing in circles as well. It was a special moment.
November and December – Nana’s visits – My mother came to visit twice late in the year spending lots of quality time with the grandchildren. Nana and Peter played chess, we visited the zoo, we saw “Peter & the Wolf” at Symphony Hall in November, and celebrated Christmas together in December.
November 29th – New England Revolution Eastern Conference Championship – Peter and I jumped on the bandwagon as the New England Revolution made their way through the MLS postseason. We joined 10s of thousands of fans in Foxboro as the team won the Eastern Conference against the New York Red Bulls. The next week we saw the sad MLS Cup Final loss against the LA Galaxy on tv.
Previously:
Fifteen years ago, I attended the Boston Marathon for the first time. I knew about the race from an early age, because even in southwestern Connecticut where I grew up it is a big enough event to warrant lots of news coverage. I also knew enough to be envious of Massachusetts’ schoolchildren that they got an extra holiday that fell on a lovely spring Monday. But in 1999, I was skeptical that watching people run could be all that entertaining.
Still, I gave it a chance and rode my bike to Cleveland Circle to take in the race. There was a thrill to seeing all the motorcycles, the press van, the time clock, and finally the small of elite runners zip by. But what happened next it was really surprised me. The ordinary runners, the people running to raise money for charities, or to prove something to themselves, or just because they love running began to arrive on the course, first in a trickle then in a big pack. And the crowds of spectators grew and became louder and they cheered on EVERY. SINGLE. RUNNER. I walked along the course, following the runners all the way down Beacon Street to Kenmore Square and then on to Boylston Street to the finish line. Then I rode the green line back to Cleveland Circle along with proud finishers wearing mylar blankets, feeling like I was surrounded by large baked potatoes.
Boston is a town known for its reserve, something that to outsiders may appear aloof or rude. But on this day, Patriots Day, there’s a near Bacchinalian explosion of good feeling as every spectator expresses their love and support of other people, the majority of whom are complete strangers. I read stories of experience marathon runners who describe Boston as unlike any other race as the entire course tends to be lined with people offering constant support. In fact, these runners say that they can’t even leave the race, because the spectators push them back onto the course, which is borderline aggressive, but done with the best intentions.
Last year, this celebration of the best of Boston humanity was marred by the two explosions near the finish line that killed three spectators and wounded hundreds more. And yet, that Boston spirit was still there as people – both medical professionals and amateurs – rushed to the injured. Their quick action and selflessness saved many lives and has been encapsulated in the idea of Boston Strong. In the wake of the bombings, Bostonians were frightened and saddened, yet also calm and determined. People I know from far away seemed more freaked out, wondering if anyone would want to run the marathon in the future, perhaps even canceling it entirely. President Obama got it right when he said “Next year, on the third Monday in April, the world will return to this great American city to run harder than ever, and to cheer even louder, for the 118th Boston Marathon. Bet on it.”
Since that first marathon in 1999, I’ve tried to watch it every year when I can get off work. I’ve also gone to the battle reenactment and parade in Concord and a baseball game at Fenway Park (attending the dawn reenactment at Lexington and riding in the Midnight Madness bike marathon are still on my to-do list). Last year, I did have the day off from work but was unable to convince my children that they would want to go watch people run and cheer for them. We went to the playground instead. In retrospect, an ambulance that passed us by at incredible speeds as we were on our way to the playground was certainly responding to the bombings. I learned of the bombings from checking my smartphone while watching my children play.
I knew that I would have to watch the 2014 marathon no matter what. Luckily, the kids were agreeable, and my whole family watched the marathon today. We returned to my favorite spot at Cleveland Circle. Conveniently, there is a playground tucked behind the buildings on Beacon Street, so the kids could take a break. My daughter Kay peeked through the fence and shook some noisemakers while cheering on the runners. My son Peter was more intent on watching the race and spotting some friends of ours among the pack. He gave high five to runners and one woman stopped and talked to him about her stomach cramps. It was a gorgeous day, a great marathon, and really everything that Patriots Day in Boston is supposed to be.
Related Posts:
I started a tradition back in 1996 of making a list of the most memorable events of the year. My definition of memorable can include both the positive and the negative, but generally it’s the good things that make the list. That first list in 1996 had exactly twenty items, so I’ve made the list a top twenty every year since.
My 2013 list is a typical hodge-podge of activity. Some of the events have links to when I wrote about them at the time. Others I wrote a little bit more about in this post.
20 January – A Winter Day Out in Providence – My wife left for a business trip, and I took the kids out for a successful outing to Rhode Island which included playing at the Providence Children’s Museum, a Providence Bruins‘ game (complete with thunderstix), & Harry’s Bar & Burger for dinner and ice cream sandwiches.
8-11 February – Blizzard of ’13 – also known as Winter Storm Nemo, dumped 25 inches of snow on our hometown making much delight for the children and cooperative snow removal ventures with the neighbors. The photo below is from our outing to Centre Street in Jamaica Plain to pick up beer & cheese.
28 February – Beck Song Reader Concert – I was part of a 50-voice choir bringing Beck’s songs of sheet music to life. You can see me singing out from the back row in the photo below.
Spring & Summer – Peter learns to bike – My son learned to ride a pedal bike. Now we need to work on braking.
15 April – Boston Marathon bombing – My kids and I were at a playground far from the Marathon route when it happened, and even if we’d gone to watch we’d have been far from the finish line, but it was still shocking to hear of the deaths and injuries. Especially considering that Patriots Day is a civic holiday that is perhaps the day on the calendar when Boston is at its most joyous, communal, and supportive. That spirit shined through with the many people – professionals and amateurs – who rushed in to help the wounded. I was touched by the outpouring of support for Boston, and if anything good has come out of this it is that they typically self-deprecating Bostonians are far more positive and confident these days. A few days later, we had the weird shelter-in-place alert, but still spirits were kept up as we shared news and jokes through social media. Not something I’d want to live through again, but I’m grateful for all the people who chose to help and that the casualties were not as bad as they could’ve been.
27 April – Regan Youth League Baseball Parade and Teeball – My baseball-obsessed son started playing teeball and we marched through the streets of Jamaica Plain, even stopping to sing.
May & October – Kindergarten Arboretum Field Trips – I stepped into a new role in fatherhood as I served as a chaperon on two school outings to Arnold Arboretum. I particularly like the spring trip when the kids got to see a snapping turtle up close and personal.
May to Present – Hope Central Church – We were in search of a new church closer to home and found a new spiritual home at Hope Central.
2 June – Bikes Not Bombs Bike-A-Thon – This time my daughter was my co-pilot on this great fundraising ride through the city.
12 June – US Open Cup game – Professional men’s soccer comes to Boston for one night only and it was great.
16 June – Father’s Day Outing to Wachusett Meadow – Two years in a row makes it a tradition, no?
28-30 June – Family Gathering in New Jersey – Susan’s family gathered in New Jersey to celebrate her Aunt Thelma and cousin Glen. Peter enjoyed playing sports and video games with his many boy cousins.
14 July – Circle the City on the Avenue of the Arts – Huntington Avenue became a pedestrian haven for just one day. I lead a walking tour. Peter played lots of soccer.
12 August – Georges Island – Vintage Baseball – On a beautiful summer day, we sailed to the Harbor Islands and traveled back in time to the dead ball era.
20-25 August – Family Camp at Purity Springs – We spent a week at the Purity Springs Family Camp in New Hampshire with some of the friendliest people ever, our days packed with activities like lake swimming (and jumping), archery, paddle boarding, pooh sticks, canoeing, knee boarding, s’mores making, cookouts, and hiking.
2-8 September – New York City trip – Another great trip to the City with Peter and his Nana.
14 October – Tufts Health Plan 10K – Our friend Sharon coaxed Susan into participating in this run. I enjoyed watching with the other spouses and children. And Susan did great finishing all 10 of the Ks. We are all so proud of her.
30 October – Red Sox Win the World Series – A great season, especially when viewed through the eyes of a five-year-old.
10 November – Claire & John’s wedding – Our dear friend Claire, godmother to our children, married a charming gent and we had a blast. The kids played their part in the wedding ceremony and then at the reception we played, and hugged, and danced, and toasted the newlyweds.
25-31 December – Christmas Travel – We’ve just returned from our annual holiday swing through North Carolina and Virginia. This year was extra special as the kids got to see all of their grandparents, all of their aunts and uncles, and most importantly, play with all of their cousins.
Goodbye 2013, you will be missed. Hello 2014, can’t wait to see what you have to offer.
Previously:
Bostonians enjoyed easy access for walking, biking, skating, playing and more on the outbound lanes of Huntington Avenue on Sunday, July 14th thanks to the Circle the City Open Streets program. Thanks to Walk Boston, I was able to participate in the event reviving my Boston By Foot Avenue of the Arts walking tour. A small but curious group joined me on the 90 minute walk from the Christian Science Center to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
After the tour, I met up with my wife and kids to take in more of the activities. My son Peter was drawn to the Super Soccer Stars activities at Northeastern University and happily played soccer with the coaches and rotating cast of children for about three hours. I had little trouble convincing my daughter Kay to be my copilot on a bike ride up and down the Avenue of the Arts. We enjoyed the Boston Cyclist Union’s demonstration cycle tracks, listened to a drum circle, watched dancers, heard a loud synthpop duo, rode alongside marching bands, and got high fives from passersby.
Despite scorching hot weather, it was a fun day out for all the family and something I’d love to see more often. Before I get to the photos, I have two quick, mild criticisms. First, the map and program didn’t seem to have enough helpful detail about the types of activities going on or even a good sense of where to find some things (for example, I think my tour may have had more people if they had a better sense of what it was and where to meet, but I also had this feeling looking for other activities). Second, the stretch of Huntington from Ruggles to Brigham Circle felt like the activity tents were spaced far apart. It’s also a less shady part of the road, unfortunately. It didn’t seem too welcoming to pedestrian activity and I didn’t see many people walking here. Maybe the activities should be grouped together more closely to lend it a better street festival vibe?
Cross-posted at my Boston Bike Commuter blog.
Panorama of the Mountains 