Bicycle Day – May Day
Today, hundreds of thousands of people worldwide attended rallies, marches, demonstrations, all in the name of “labor”. Some call out for higher pay, better jobs, stronger labor laws. I read articles on the internet and found out many interesting facts about this day. And I learned something new! May 1 in Spain is celebrated as “Flower Day”; in Latvia, “Mother’s Day”, and in the United States, May 1 is “Bicycle Day”. On this day, families and communities organize rides. So, where is this all going?
My son, Chris, is an avid bicycle rider. He rides 35-50 miles a day to keep in shape so he can participate in the annual ride in June of each year. The ride is from San Francisco to Los Angeles and it raises money for the Aids Foundation.
May Day to me conjures up memories of my mother and I making little baskets and filling them with candy. My mother looked at May Day as an occasion to celebrate spring. This tradition was faithfully observed throughout my childhood. In our calm, quiet little farm town we were impervious to things unionist or political. We just delivered little baskets to our neighbors. We knocked on the door, and then ran away. It was a fun game.
When my children were young I tried to pass on this tradition, making baskets for them to deliver to their friends’ houses.
Today, I find out that it is "Bicycle Day" in the United States. So, what am I to do? Give up on this childhood memory and start riding my bicycle on this day?
My German Russian roots will fight me all the way.
