Belinda's Penny-Farthing

At the end of May, I spotted Belinda's unusual bicycle tattoo on the 34th Street subway platform during Friday afternoon rush hour:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpg8Rcfas0EvBFa-fJjJvIX-Eq4Ja4K4GlKZfC0t4B39U3l-21JNHhfUU6Hiug4jiVLccaXWDEhnRmcar6Cv_GDwfHyJ1AqodkmxHol_tb0xuKtXCFo6MM35h2JBPib-Tdav46BXdz/s1600/bike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpg8Rcfas0EvBFa-fJjJvIX-Eq4Ja4K4GlKZfC0t4B39U3l-21JNHhfUU6Hiug4jiVLccaXWDEhnRmcar6Cv_GDwfHyJ1AqodkmxHol_tb0xuKtXCFo6MM35h2JBPib-Tdav46BXdz/s400/bike.jpg" width="357" /></a></div><br />Of course, I asked her about this piece on her left ankle, since it isn't too often you see old-fashioned bicycle tattoos on people.<br /><br />Belinda explained tha a while back she had gone on a pilgrimmage to Spain, which included a 100-mile trek on bicycles. This design is of the "high wheel bicycle" that was introduced in the late 19th century and is more commonly referred to as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny-farthing">penny-farthing</a>. She told me that this was a much more efficient bicycle than had been seen before. The larger wheel allowed it to travel better, although the falls from a much greater height were a problem.<br /><br />Belinda added,<br /><br /><blockquote>"The purpose of the pilgrimage was not religious but more a curiosity to see this path (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Way_of_St._James">the Way of St. James</a>) that people have been taking for hundreds and hundreds of years just because of faith. I felt it was a great way to see the real "Spain" by riding through the small villages and woods...we ended in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santiago_de_Compostela">Santiago de Compostela</a>..."</blockquote>This tattoo was inked by one of the artists at <a href="http://www.nyadorned.com/">NY Adorned</a>. Work from Adorned has appeared previously on Tattoosday <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/New%20York%20Adorned">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks again to Belinda for sharing this cool tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Belinda's Penny-Farthing

At the end of May, I spotted Belinda's unusual bicycle tattoo on the 34th Street subway platform during Friday afternoon rush hour: Of c...

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