A common question I am asked is how, as a cyclist, is it possible to be enamored of the automobile. Most non-cyclist folks seem to think we cyclists are obsessed with the bicycle as the sole means of transportation. This is, of course, completely false. From a practical standpoint, the automobile is an absolute necessity for shuttling the family from point A to point B. I do know of some families committed to only using bicycles, but this is rare, and perhaps a bit extreme for a family with two kids in different schools and two working parents. The automobile is a savior, and I am happy to hop into the station wagon each morning for the daily chauffeuring of kids. But, aside from vehicles that provide simple transportation to and fro, I am also completely enamored of automobiles that serve no particular practical purpose. There is a Triumph TR6 in our family that mostly sits in the garage, save for the times when a drive in a non-practical car with the top down is called for. These drives, perhaps along Mulholland on a Sunday afternoon, are required for a bit of peaceful reflection. The car and the open road are as much a part of my lexicon as the bicycle and the open road. They are very different experiences, but equally pleasurable. My morning routine over coffee consists of scouting out bicycles and obscure bicycle parts, to drooling over the daily e-mail from Bring A Trailer. Nothing makes for a better morning than dreaming of the next two wheel or four wheel mode of transportation. In my life there is no friction between the two. They are different, but both have their place, and I for one, embrace both forms.

A Small Car Show Earlier In The Year Featuring the Triumph

And the 75 Triumph TR6 against a pink wall