Secret File: The Beat Bump

The Beat Bump

Little was known about The Beat Bump until Alex Fornthall uncovered the Mighty Map and led his band - literally, a band - to the peak. Well, peak is extreme. It's a bump we're talking about, after all. But a good head of steam on the right bicycle and ... whoosh! Air time.
But there's more to The Beat Bump than Fornthall recognized. His journey was mighty indeed, but sometime all the effort of the search muddies the reality of the found. Sometimes arriving is only middlepoint to the destination. Other times you're just there, but in this case, Fornthall planted his flag and left a few days early.

Retracing Fornthall's steps through the Forest of Disregard, I quite by chance joined a procession headed in exactly the same direction. It was, to my surprise, Fornthall's band, drummer, lead guitar, bassist and the guy who stands on stage and claps along because everyone just likes him being there. They paid me little mind, trudging on behind black sunglasses and that impossible cool baked in the limelight.

The group set up around the BB and a bass line dove into the ground. Drums joined, and then the four-piece was in full jam. To my surprise, a seedling poked through the bump and grew before our eyes. The flower grew to full bloom, exploding into floral flourish with more in common with the Northern Lights than anything earthly rooted. As the band played on the flower wilted, dried and broke apart back into the BB, a life cycle in 3 1/2 minutes of perfect pop. As the notes settled, The Band packed their instruments and turned to hike out.

I had a moment to ask, "What was that?" Only the drummer turned, glancing at a drum bag bounced over to carry. "That's the Beat Bump," he answered and walked the way we came.

Alex Fornthall and I met years later at a roadside pie stand when the bazzleberries were at their peak. He nodded at the story, not surprised there was more to the BB than he discovered. "I knew the way," he said, "they knew the tune."

Dear reader, there is the way and there is the tune. I assure you we need both.