The More Things Stay the Same...

The more they don't change?

Four years ago this week, I moved to Philadelphia and settled temporarily in the Northern Liberties. When I moved there, I didn't know much about the neighborhood, but I'll always remember this sign at the corner of 3rd & Spring Garden that I saw on the day I moved here:

It's still there today, as you can tell. It was a welcoming thing to see on my first full day living in this town, and still is as I ride past here quite frequently of late on my delivery route. Northern Liberties has been undergoing a dearth of redevelopment in the last decade (part of the reason I moved out, actually), so it's actually refreshing to see that some things haven't changed, for better or worse.

The worse, is that this sign sits at the end of a row of shuttered businesses, most notably Finnigan's Wake Bar. If you look closely at the 15th anniversary sign below, you can see that's outdated by nearly 6 years:

I never frequented the place, but it's a nice old building and I hope they keep it intact if and when they decide to redevelop it. For now, I'll appreciate it in its relic-like state as I pass by nearly daily. For the love of whatever, don't tear it down.

Anyway, one other thing that hasn't changed:

I don't keep a record book, but the soiled weight of all that stuff was more than 400 pounds, which I moved in one trip. The weight nearly toppled the trike backwards a couple times when I was loading it. Whilst riding, thankfully my weight kept it balanced up front. Thank the maker for e-bike assist. Riding uphill would have been near impossible (but not impossible) without it.

It's been about a month since I put myself back on the bike, and now that I'm back into the full rhythm, it really does feel the same as it ever was. That's a little comforting, but...

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Since I'm talking a lot about change here, I need to talk about a big change that did occur this week. My former colleague and supervisor left the company after 7 years. He'd been the only supervisor I'd ever known as a commercial delivery cyclist. He put a great amount of effort into helping me grow my portion of the business, and also to grow within the company into roles in sales & marketing. Through all the transformations I have seen in my 3 years, 4 months and 24 days (trust me, I looked it up) with Wash Cycle, he was one of the anchors, which we all need. I have no idea where I'd be without his help.

He became an even better friend on and off work hours. He was the first person from work to call me after I busted my face in 2015, and that's just one of many examples of how solid a dude he is. It's become common for us to run into each other at events or just casually riding through the neighborhood. It doesn't hurt that we're also both pretty big sports fans and cycling enthusiasts. I'm sure even though he's moving on work-wise, these sorts of things will continue happening.

I'd gotten used to seeing his bike every time I pulled up to the office. Before he left on Thursday, I made sure to lock up next to it one more time:

Gone, but certainly won't be forgotten. See ya around, Joel. Thanks for everything and good luck. Most of all, don't change.