Summer 2013 (continued from home page)

SUMMERTIME IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST is a long-awaited treasure. I ride my bike year round, but there really is a sweetness about late evening summer rides in shorts and sandals that feels like I’m a kid again. In fact, riding a bike is one of the few things in life that decades later still feels amazingly like it did at 8 years old. I guess eating an ice cream cone is another of those things. I ascribe to both.

We’re still in springtime but because we Pacific Northwesterners are such pansies about heat up here, a day in the 80s can be all over the news. “Seattle Man Sweats Profusely in May!” they might announce. There is almost never a year with more than 5 days in the 90s. And most of our summer days are in the delicious 70s. Luckily, amidst those there will be some overcast, cool mornings and drizzle too. Man, that’s my kind of summer; warm day, cool day, breezy day, rainy day. Repeat.

I usually do not do much in the way of concerts or workshops in the summer because I know people want to be outside. But that is probably errant thinking since people in Atlanta, Houston, OK City, Washington DC, Denver, and well, nearly everywhere else, are desperately seeking a cool place to spend the hottest hours of the day. What cooler place could you find than at one of my events? Just joking. But they are fun.

I will be announcing a one-day Summer Workshop soon, Writing the Wonders of Your Mind. I’ve had some extremely enjoyable, uplifting and inspiring Creativity workshops these last two years and will do one on Zoom so that people may attend from anywhere. So make sure you’re on my email list if you’d like notice.

Also, because my first album, Run This Way Forever, came out mid-summer of 1985, 38 years ago, I’m considering doing an online-anniversary concert in some cool mountain setting, also broadcast on Zoom. In which I will play ALL the songs on Run This Way Forever and share stories about the songs and those beautiful day. If you’d be interested in such an event, please let me know.

I continue to host weekly Breathing/Meditation classes on Zoom called “Breathing Into Your Life.” They have been so helpful in nurturing a calmer inner life, more creativity, less stress and anxiety, and in many ways, a higher awareness in our lives. You can join any week by registering on my website.

I will finish out this note to you with a short account of something that happened yesterday as I rode my bike on a beautiful paved bike trail in a nearby area. Thank you for visiting me, I hope you’re doing well. (Scroll down past the photo for my story)

In Friendship, ~Michael Tomlinson

A THREE YEAR OLD BOY GAVE ME MY GREATEST LAUGH OF THE DAY. I was in the beautiful town of Snohomish and riding my bike out of town on the Centennial Trail. Breezy and with sparkling sunshine, the trail was not crowded at all and I so enjoyed cruising through trees and along small farms, paralleling the river for a while and not riding anywhere near the car traffic. It was warm, in the 70s, and I decided to get some sun and took my shirt off and wrapped it around my handle bars.

When I got back near town, slowing down and with the breeze blocked, I really felt the sun’s heat and it felt so good to be finally enjoying that kind of weather. Just two blocks from my truck I saw a little boy on a push scooter with what appeared to be his grandpa. As I was sweeping past I was watching and smiling at the little boy and he was watching me. Then just as I passed he reached up and pointed a strong finger at me and started to say something, but I was 20-30 feet past before I really heard him.

“Grandpa, why is that guy riding naked!”

I absolutely BELLOWED laughter! It was just such a funny, unexpected remark, but I DID look down quickly to make sure that I had not lost my shorts. A block away I was still howling and I think his grandpa was too.

I’m glad I gave that little boy something he’ll be telling his kids about someday. “One time I seen a man riding naked and he didn’t even care!” ~ Michael Tomlinson