It's sometimes difficult to look backward, and fully trust in your memory. I'm left with very little that I actually remember of Lucy Warren. I know she attended my grandparents' church, and I believe she was a friend of my aunt. I remember that she drove a beat-up white van to church, and mentally picture her wearing darker, more masculine clothing as depicted in the postcard. I remember her as being rather quiet: not unfriendly, just serious. But much of this, especially regarding her clothing and demeanor, could be my mind filling in the blanks as best it can.
One thing I know is she knitted this Christmas stocking for me. I don’t remember receiving it, so she probably made it when I was quite young. I’m not sure what prompted her gift, although everyone likes giving and making things for babies. She would have made this after her second transcontinental ride, so perhaps she gave up motorcycling after that, and took up knitting instead. Or maybe she just had more time after she retired, and took up another hobby.
There’s a great story buried in the past, about a woman who did something difficult, arduous, rare, and (at least for her time) masculine. Yet she also did something (that we typically regard as) feminine, with a great degree of skill, making an item with such skill that it became a treasured keepsake, even in those years when I forgot who gave it to me, and in so doing forgot about her.
If you’ve done something interesting, share your experience with others. You may not think it's important, but anything unique that you've experienced will be of interest to others, and may serve as a source of inspiration. I wish I knew more of Lucy Warren’s story, both about her life, her interest, and her two cross-country trips. I can’t help but think that those trips would have been interesting to hear her talk about. From the postcard, I can't even tell what types of motorcycles "The Snapper" and "Cinderella" were. But at least I’ve got the postcard, and my Christmas stocking, to remember her by.
Dragon Dave
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