Look Ma, No Hands!

[KLizotte]

One more from “Look Ma, No Hands”:

Innovative way to help cyclists lock their bikes:

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[5555624]

@KLizotte 26744 wrote:

There is a well known cycling cafe/bike shop/repair shop called “Look Ma, No Hands” in central London. I visited it for the first time in June:

Hopefully, the “No Hands” does not apply to eating in the cafe.

[Dirt]

While about as far off topic as possible, the subject of this photo does not in any way use hands to do what it does.

Southern Right Whale off the coast of Hermanus, South Africa.

Hugs and kisses,

Dirt.

[Arlingtonrider]

Pete,

Thanks for all the awesome photos. We’re all really enjoying them!

[JimF22003]

Crossing the deck, let us now have a good long look at the the Right Whale’s head.

As in general shape the noble Sperm Whale’s head may be compared to a Roman war-chariot (especially in front, where it is so broadly rounded); so, at a broad view, the Right Whale’s head bears a rather inelegant resemblance to a gigantic galliot-toed shoe. Two hundred years ago an old Dutch voyager likened its shape to that of a shoemaker’s last. And in this same last or shoe, that old woman of the nursery tale with the swarming brood, might very comfortably be lodged, she and all her progeny.

But as you come nearer to this great head it begins to assume different aspects, according to your point of view. If you stand on its summit and look at these two f-shaped spout-holes, you would take the whole head for an enormous bass viol, and these spiracles, the apertures in its soundingboard. Then, again, if you fix your eye upon this strange, crested, comblike incrustation on the top of the mass- this green, barnacled thing, which the Greenlanders call the “crown,” and the Southern fishers the “bonnet” of the Right Whale; fixing your eyes solely on this, you would take the head for the trunk of some huge oak, with a bird’s nest in its crotch. At any rate, when you watch those live crabs that nestle here on this bonnet, such an idea will be almost sure to occur to you; unless, indeed, your fancy has been fixed by the technical term “crown” also bestowed upon it; in which case you will take great interest in thinking how this mighty monster is actually a diademed king of the sea, whose green crown has been put together for him in this marvellous manner. But if this whale be a king, he is a very sulky looking fellow to grace a diadem. Look at that hanging lower lip! what a huge sulk and pout is there! a sulk and pout, by carpenter’s measurement, about twenty feet long and five feet deep; a sulk and pout that will yield you some 500 gallons of oil and more.

A great pity, now, that this unfortunate whale should be hare-lipped….

— Chapter 75, Moby Dick.

It goes on like that for awhile…

[ShawnoftheDread]

Moby Dick is awesome. The most elegant purple prose anywhere.

[happynicky]

Southern Right Whale,so cute

[mstone]

You have to first read about the whaling ship Essex to get into the right frame of mind.

[Riley Casey]

The sheer awesomeness of this concept has me wanting to open one in DC. Despite the fact that my cooking skills are such that I can burn the water.

[KelOnWheels]

@Riley Casey 28831 wrote:

The sheer awesomeness of this concept has me wanting to open one in DC. Despite the fact that my cooking skills are such that I can burn the water.

I saw a picture somewhere of an Irish pub/bike repair shop – we need one of those! I think they might have fixed boats too.

[GuyContinental]

They have the same concept in San Fran- bikes, beer, coffee all in one place. The one I visited (maybe in the Castro somewhere? It was dark…) had a nominal fee to rent a stand/tools and had lots of stools and tables between the stands. I love the idea! Beyond the hipster culture I think that it works in San Fran because no one has space for a workshop in their crazy small apartments. Here you’d need to do it in a really dense area… maybe rent the space next to Galaxy Hut in Clarendon and carve out a door- good beer, tater-tots, zillions of apartment dwellers, proper faux-hipster vibe but awfully close to Revolution Bikes.

[Author]

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