New York Big City

I was told in kindergarten that if I was ever to set myself on fire, or in the unlikely case that I might just find myself to be on fire, I should stop, drop, and roll. In kindergarten the possibility that I might ever be engulfed in flames was a frighteningly morbid prospect to be learning a three-step maneuver for, but even then it seemed far-fetched. However, since the Big Green Bus graced page 60 in Newsweek, it seems as though the bus, and every person on it, has been set ablaze with social interest and a status of insta-recognition in the places that we go. Thanks Newsweek for being the leaky zippo lighter to our small strike anywhere match of a mission. And although I’d like to think that my kindergarten education is the basis for every simple decision that I make, stopping isn’t an option. We refuse to drop. And the only rolling that we do is on to the next city. Sorry Mrs. D, these wheels on fire rolled out of D.C. and straight on into New York on Sunday.

A bus-size parking spot in a prime location!

We spent our afternoon in the big mealy apple of New York City parked outside of 49 East Houston Street. We were visiting an organization called Times Up and checking out their program that promotes people to bike around the city rather than drive. The bus was also open to the street and more than a few curious locals took a second out of their busy day to hop on board and engage in a friendly little chat about our journey. You may be skeptical as to whether these people were actually New Yorkers after having read the last sentence. The enthusiastic adjective ‘friendly’ when ascribed to New York is as suspicious as razor-filled candy on Halloween. But these people were the real deal, each of them was thin and wearing black with a trace of ‘I’m better than thou’ etched into their faces.

"What is this bus doing here?"

Later, Frances, Kate, and I ventured a few blocks over to Babycakes, a vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, etc bakery. There we met Joel Bravo, a Dartmouth ’02 and employee of the alternative pastry shop and tried some of the baked goods, which proved to be surprisingly delicious. Also surprising was that I recognized Joel from an article I had read in Paper Magazine a year back. He was in a band called Bravo Silva, and one of Paper Magazine’s beautiful people of 2006. Joel is currently in a band called Sex With An Angel.

When evening draped itself over the city we found ourselves relaxing in the lovely apartment of four big green bus alums. Mikey Saladik, Vivien Savath, Steph Lawrence, and Forest Hanson, all rode on the BGB ’06 summer tour and are Dartmouth ‘06s. More friends joined us and we had a lovely warm evening full of kickball, soccer, youtube videos, and cuddle puddles (in that order). When we awoke in the morning it was about time to go, and we all lamented having to leave the city so soon. One doughnut and two glasses of whole milk later we were back on the road, peering out the windows and promising the graffiti that we’d call, e-mail, keep in touch, and see it soon.

-Hayley