copyright Anelephantcant
Moon Cycle
No one ever told me just how big space is. I mean, I can see the moon every night. It’s right there. So why is it so hard to reach?
I had an epiphany one night after I’d taken some mysterious pills I found on the road: why not make a bicycle-powered spaceship? It’d save on rocket fuel and once you’re in zero-gee, it’s like going downhill the whole way.
I made it through the atmosphere, but now I’ve been pedaling for a week and the moon doesn’t look any bigger. Maybe I should stick it in a higher gear.
The Green-Walled Tower 
July 17th, 2013 at 7:50 pm
Dear David,
There must’ve been something in those pills to make that space ship possible, right? Clever take on the prompt.
Shalom,
Rochelle
July 17th, 2013 at 9:33 pm
Yeah, I think he’s just the right mix of genius and idiot.
July 17th, 2013 at 8:06 pm
poor fellow! 🙂
July 19th, 2013 at 11:12 pm
yeah, he’s in a bit of trouble.
July 17th, 2013 at 8:32 pm
Intriguing. Would this one be continued..
July 17th, 2013 at 8:54 pm
I agree!
July 17th, 2013 at 9:32 pm
Hmm, there’s an idea. 🙂 I guess it depends on the upcoming photo prompts.
July 17th, 2013 at 8:54 pm
I want some of what he’s on… or do I? Nice one
July 19th, 2013 at 11:12 pm
It seems be a bit of a blessing and a curse. Probably best not to try it.
July 17th, 2013 at 9:46 pm
Must be that stuff added to the coffee 🙂
July 19th, 2013 at 11:13 pm
🙂 That mysterious cup of coffee I found in the coffee shop.
July 17th, 2013 at 10:40 pm
Whoever left those pills in the road will be sorely missing them…
July 17th, 2013 at 10:55 pm
🙂 I’m sure.
July 17th, 2013 at 10:52 pm
Reminded me a bit of E.T., except with err.. “magic” pills!
July 17th, 2013 at 11:55 pm
It’s just around the next bend – I promise
David great take on the prompt (again)
Ive never ridden to the moon (imagination is faster)
July 19th, 2013 at 11:20 pm
It would be a long, tiring journey over a quarter million miles, I’m sure. Imagination sure is faster. 🙂
July 18th, 2013 at 12:12 am
Ha! HA! I like it! a little bit of humor for the day!
July 19th, 2013 at 11:20 pm
Thanks~ 🙂
July 18th, 2013 at 1:16 am
LoL!! Superb!
July 19th, 2013 at 11:26 pm
Thank you!
July 18th, 2013 at 2:21 am
haha awesomeness. ^^
July 18th, 2013 at 2:50 am
Here we thought the biggest need was the inertia to overcome earth’s gravitational pull. Perhaps some moondust will help lead the way. I liked it a lot David.
July 19th, 2013 at 11:28 pm
He definitely is a genius to get it to escape velocity. Of course, the underlying joke is that in space there is air or friction, so pedaling wouldn’t help anything. I don’t think he’ll ever make it to the moon.
July 19th, 2013 at 11:47 pm
Perhaps he can be newest constellation and another racket for people to “buy” for their loved one.
July 18th, 2013 at 2:53 am
You really shouldn’t take drugs you find in the street.
July 19th, 2013 at 11:28 pm
That’s a good moral to take away from this 🙂
July 20th, 2013 at 2:28 am
🙂
July 18th, 2013 at 5:30 am
Did you try phoning home? 🙂
janet
July 19th, 2013 at 11:31 pm
🙂
July 18th, 2013 at 6:41 am
Beware of unidentified pills! Lovely variation on the photo.
July 18th, 2013 at 12:38 pm
laughing here David. But I’ll bet it’s really quiet and peaceful, even though slow going! 🙂
July 19th, 2013 at 11:29 pm
It’s probably peaceful except for dodging pieces of space junk whizzing by. And those dang astronauts in the ISS laughing at him.
July 20th, 2013 at 1:14 am
I’m thinking they’re probably disavowing any knowledge of the unidentified vehicle!
July 18th, 2013 at 6:02 pm
I don’t need pills to come up with dotty ideas. Well told.
July 19th, 2013 at 11:38 pm
Thanks. Luckily, we don’t need to to write our stories or we’d all be in big trouble.
July 18th, 2013 at 7:42 pm
A bicycle-powered spaceship! Sounds like it would be better for the environment — and you get exercise to boot. But those mysterious pills found on the road sound downright dangerous.
July 19th, 2013 at 11:31 pm
I think he needs more horsepower on his ship. Do you think you could get horses to pedal a bike? Maybe if he took more mystery medication, the idea would come to him.
July 18th, 2013 at 10:31 pm
[…] Stewart is always a good read, and Moon Cycle is spot […]
July 19th, 2013 at 1:00 am
Whimsical & lovely.
July 19th, 2013 at 11:31 pm
Thank you~
July 19th, 2013 at 1:14 am
Your clever cyclist must be on something else besides the pills he found on the road or he’d have never taken them in the first place–what a disappointment for all of us if he wakes up in his Earth-bound bed with unexplained sore leg muscles.
July 19th, 2013 at 11:34 pm
That’s a good point. Hopefully he will wake up in his own bed, if only for his sake.
July 19th, 2013 at 9:35 am
Cool story, Dave. Those pills come in liquid form, too? 😉
July 19th, 2013 at 11:34 pm
I’m sure it’s possible. 🙂
July 19th, 2013 at 11:25 am
And this is why eccentric geniuses should take the time to study astronomy! That way your narrator would have realized she needed to hook in a few hundred guinea pig-powered miniature bicycle boosters to build up enough speed to cover the actual distance quickly.
A great little yarn – very creative.
July 19th, 2013 at 11:37 pm
That would be a great Dr. Doolittle-esque solution to the problem.
July 20th, 2013 at 2:30 am
😀
July 19th, 2013 at 7:52 pm
I’ll have some of what you’re smoking!
July 19th, 2013 at 11:37 pm
🙂
July 19th, 2013 at 8:03 pm
I think you should eat beans. That should give you some little bursts and help blast you toward the moon. Say “Hi” to Alice Kramden for me when you get there.
July 19th, 2013 at 11:35 pm
Good point. In a vacuum, it should give some boost, at least better than pedaling endlessly. Hmm, a fart-powered ship…
July 19th, 2013 at 9:07 pm
=)
July 19th, 2013 at 10:21 pm
Fantastical and fun. Keep peddling!
July 20th, 2013 at 12:08 am
Ground Control to Major Dave
Ground Control to Major Dave
Take your mystery pills and put your helmet on
This is Major Dave to Ground Control
I’m stepping from the bicycle
And I’m floating in a most peculiar way
And the stars look very different today
Ground Control to Major Dave
Your wheel’s don’t spin, there’s something wrong
Can you hear me, Major Dave?
Can you hear me, Major Dave?
“Here am I floating round my bicycle
Far above the Moon
Planet Earth is blue
And there’s nothing I can do.
I take those pills too! 🙂
July 20th, 2013 at 6:55 pm
That is brilliant. Thanks for the serenade. 🙂
July 20th, 2013 at 2:24 am
charming and that comment above from Major Tom is charming too!
July 20th, 2013 at 5:18 pm
Wonderful. I love your imagination, and the mysterious pills found in the road – great touch 😀
July 20th, 2013 at 8:33 pm
Maybe you can call E.T. he can help
July 20th, 2013 at 9:15 pm
Superb!
He is welcome chez AnElephant any time!
July 20th, 2013 at 11:26 pm
Fantastic!
July 22nd, 2013 at 8:43 pm
Got a funny feeling that a higher gear isn’t going to help !
Great story from you, as usual
Dee
July 23rd, 2013 at 12:56 am
Why do I hear the song, Moon Shadow when I read your story? Loved it Dave.