Shade And Paint
Biking for comics and Bizarro Saves! Strip #2
On Sunday, I packed my bag with a beach towel, a watercolor set, and my sketchbook, then hopped on my bike and rode out to a local park. Most of the 40-minute ride was a smooth pavement trail. It was a nice little ride.
I have a road bike and a gravel bike. I feel much safer riding the streets and trails of Houston with the gravel bike. The roads here can really get wonky, and the threat to tire tubes can be massive if you catch an area that isn’t paved for a biker. The gravel tires are a beefier approach compared to the thin road tires. I’ve had my fair share of blown tire tubes during a ride. Changing them is not fun.
I’ve dubbed my bike “the perfect bike for an artist”. I know, I know, I’m biased, but I do feel that it has a cool flair, and the bike is built to handle hard to reach places. If you need to get to that perfect tree right by the creek so that you can plop down and paint, the Poseidon is a great, all-terrain option. Also, it isn’t so bulky to the point where it feels like you are operating an ATV. The best part is that it has drop bars instead of flat bars. I’ve found that the drop style provides much more control than the latter.
I settled in a wonderfully shaded area under a few trees and stayed for about an hour and a half. I did some quick paintings and just relaxed. It was a perfect summer day.
People think I’m crazy, but I actually enjoy the heat when I’m dressed for the occasion. There’s something… adventurous? about it. It’s hard to explain. I think it reminds me of being a kid on summer vacation, when your only worries were watching Cartoon Network and playing outside. Maybe a hot bike ride recaptures an ounce of that feeling.
Bizarro Saves! Strip #2
Here’s another strip featuring our unlikely hero…
Day job work and illustration work have been crazy lately, and it’s about to get even crazier. Heroes Con is now just a short month away! I really need to up my promo game. It has come up way too quickly. Tables aren’t assigned yet, but I’ll be in Artist Alley. Who’s goin’?!
Thanks for your time,
Nico
"I enjoy the heat when I'm dressed for it," is the right sentiment. I sweat. I sweat a lot. And when I'm out and about wearing clothes that aren't conducive for sweating or hot weather I'm pretty miserable. But, if I'm read for it, it's all good. Also, a day in the park always sounds like an all-cure for what ails you. I'm over due for one of those myself.
Been contemplating a bike for a while. Just can't seem to pull the trigger. A Poseidon may be the recommendation I've been waiting for (shoulders shrugging). Maybe just lazy.
When are you going to make your way to Los Angeles?