Take up biking

So therapeutic to ride around, not having to go somewhere, but just feel myself moving, picking up speed, seeing the scenery. It helps me sort thoughts in a very different way (how wonderfully vague).

I have had two sightings of beautiful Gary Fisher bikes. Oh my goodness…that is the bike I want! Beautiful and stylish.

I have been riding all over. Really. At this point, all I need is a darn bike and I will be a biker. Really.

Or somewhere around there. Between 15 miles on Saturday and 10 miles on Sunday. The Kelly Drive/Art Museum/Schuylkill River circuit. I am really sort of impressed that I have been able to pull this off (although my bum a bit). I even went out on Sunday in the rain, because given this weather, I have to stop using a little bit of precipitation as an excuse to not bike. Besides, t was nice to have the Drive almost all to myself.

Went into traffic solo, for 10 blocks on a bike lane. Open car doors, SUVs, traffic lights, the works. I am so proud of myself. Biked for two hours total today, way more than 10 miles, I think.

I think I looked totally ridiculous riding a loaned bike, a goofy looking helmet, and acting all fearful in traffic. I walked more than half the way home, and then rode in quiet sidewalks (sometimes for only a block at a time, stopping when I got into streets), the bike lane along the Schuykill River, and then some in my neighborhood.

This is my third bike so far—yet another gear bike, with a crazy swivel front and downward facing handle bars. Very different to what I am used to. Took me a while to figure it out, and it was a bit scary to do it out on the street. But hey, I asked the universe for a bike, and this one came. So I am working with this for now until I can afford my own bike.

It will be a while before I go into real traffic on my own. I felt I was cheating with the walking. But, you know what? This ain’t a race. If it takes me all summer to figure this out, so be it.

At first I was sorta turned off by the idea that this was known as a “hipster” bike, but I have to say that I understand the fad. After having gone for a ride on a gear bike, I am a complete convert to the single-gear. All those gears to think about (on the left and right handle bars) got me all distracted, and I felt exhausted having to deal with a heavier, clunkier bike. It made me remember that the whole reason I stopped biking before was having to deal with gears. So that’s it—no gears from now on.

Loving this site that has “how-to” videos on just about everything, including bike riding in traffic.

And very impressed with Philadelphia’s Bike Map, btw. Although am not going to venture out on the street today. I am going to wait until I get a helmet to do that, based on another 43Ter’s cautious suggestion.

Went out biking yesterday and today. First time out was on a Friday afternoon, crowded streets, full of traffic. Scary, quite scary—hadn’t been out on a bike for real in more than 10 years. Fell down, panicked, was wobbly on the bike.

The next day, I slowly became more and more and confident. It helped that I practiced on a large stretch of closed road on Kelly Drive for a while. Then I got on the other side of Kelly Drive, crazy bike lane full of people, rollerbladers, dogs, kids, everything. Even passed by what looked to be a recent scene of a collision between a car and a cyclist. But whereas yesterday I was all panicky when I had to swerve, today I was okay. Much better, at least. And I did something like ten miles (!)

I was (and still am) terrified, but am slowly building myself up to doing this on my own. Have been chaperoned and guided by an amazing new acquaintance (Passover dude). If it were not for him, I would not have gotten so far. Lent me a nice bike, gave me his time, taught me what he knew about being an urban cyclist, looked out for me. I think this was not random—it was meant to be.

All stiff and sore, probably will even be more tomorrow. But I am proud I pulled this off.

So this will be the first item on my list for now! Besides, I really want to make it happen.