Sacred Life Sunday: Dream Come True!
How can I possibly express the thrill of living a dream come true?
Ever since I went to my first Gay Pride Parade (sounds like a wild Fisher Price toy set, doesn't it?) in 1991 in Seattle and cried when the Dykes on Bikes kicked off the parade roaring up and down Broadway in all their bad ass girl glory, I've wanted to sit on the back of someone's motorcycle and be part of it. Along with swimming with dolphins, publishing a book, visiting Sissinghurst, doing a triathlon, and some other things, it was at the top of my list of Things To Do Before I Die.
Yesterday -- 17 years later -- I did it!
400,000 people turned out for yesterday's Seattle Pride parade. The Dykes on Bikes fired up and kicked off the parade at 11am sharp. I don't know how many bikes were there -- maybe 150? Maybe more? It was beyond amazing being in the middle of that many rumbling Harleys and other big bikes! I shed a few tears of pure joy, and then we took off!
Wearing a pink boa, I sat on the back of Missy's bike as we roared up and down the street. I waved and yelled and slapped outstretched hands and laughed and hooted and waved some more and held on for dear life whenever Missy gunned it! We rode up and down the parade route for what felt like an hour, but was probably more like 30-40 minutes. It kicked ASS! I've never had so much fun in my life and I hope I get to do it again!
Afterwards we sat in the shade and caught some of the parade. To be honest I had shot my wad and was too satiated to take many photos. The ones I took will be posted here later today.
Missy asked if the experience lived up to my expectations -- sometimes dreams don't, y'know? -- and I can honestly say fulfilling this dream blew every single expectation out of the water. It was even more fun and more powerful than I ever imagined. I felt like a rock star . . . and I loved it! :)
P.S. My T-shirt says: "I taught your girlfriend that thing you like."
sounds like so much fun ~ happy for you that you got to experience one of your dreams and that it was so wonderful :)
Posted by: darlene | Monday, June 30, 2008 at 01:49 PM
Uh, yeah... with a bike like that how could it have NOT rocked!!! WOW. When I saw the picture at the top of the post I thought, "Dykes on BICYCLES?? Wierd." LOL. I love that you kept the dream alive for 17 years. I don't even remember 1991. I know it came after 1990 ...
Posted by: Annie Binns | Monday, June 30, 2008 at 02:00 PM
I'm so happy for you! Now I wish I had seen the Seattle Pride Parade! Up here in Alaska there is not a lot of opportunity to have gay pride parades or anything.. if we do have anything like that it is very small and usually far away from where I live lol.
Congrats!!!
Posted by: Rachel | Monday, June 30, 2008 at 02:06 PM
looks like a blast!!! and you totally looked like a rock star!
Posted by: leah | Monday, June 30, 2008 at 02:46 PM
I'm happy for you, too, Carla! It sounds like a perfect day in every way. Here's to finishing your list, and to always having more dreams on your list, too. xxoo, O
Posted by: Olivia | Monday, June 30, 2008 at 05:17 PM
I have two favorite Pride moments this year. One was when I was in Washington, just meandering, and I kept running into folks wearing a sticker that read, "Action is HOT."
The other is when my husband and I were driving through midtown New York DURING the Pride parade, and I got to see this big ass float for one of the local synagogues--everyone on the float doing the hora around a glittery Star of David.
To quote Mr. Sulu (the fabulous George Takei), "May equality live long and prosper."
Posted by: Martha Garvey | Tuesday, July 01, 2008 at 04:04 AM
This looks like SO much fun! Way to go Carla that you held on to your dream for so many years and lived the dream in the biggest, boldest, kick assed way!
Posted by: Kate I | Tuesday, July 01, 2008 at 03:34 PM
WOO HOO! Way to go Carla sounds like it was a blast!
"Wild Women don't get the Blues" baby! Keep on dancing that dance and living those dreams! Kel
Posted by: island Girl Spirit | Tuesday, July 01, 2008 at 04:49 PM
Way to go Carla!!! I could hear your excitement... keep on dreaming! Nicole
Posted by: Nicole | Tuesday, July 01, 2008 at 07:50 PM
how wonderful!!! i sooooo enjoyed the slideshow :o) and sissinghurst is on my wishlist - along with charleston, the bloomsbury set's home down the road from there - maybe we can visit together one day???
Posted by: claire | Wednesday, July 02, 2008 at 08:40 AM
ha!ha!ha! to the shirt!...OoooOoooo sounds like so much fun..and it's so cool to read about someone who actually took a part in it!
Posted by: The Lady Prism | Monday, July 14, 2008 at 06:21 AM
Damn, but I would have loved to check out Seattle Pride. Loved the photos, loved the post:)
Jen
Posted by: Jen | Sunday, August 10, 2008 at 10:48 PM