learn to ride a bike

Everywhere I look, I see bicycle riders haunting my field of vision. The most absurd sight was a man who looked to be well over six feet on what was obviously a child’s bicycle. He was so big, he could barely keep balance.

Still, he was one ahead of me as he merrily rode past me down the street.

I’m not going to get discouraged. In fact, I might well make this next years focus if its still an issue by December.

I’m asking nearly everyone for help in this goal. I want it completed as soon as possible. So far, two people have said for sure that they’ll help me and one is even willing to try getting out here to this distant land I live in from the City proper.

That’s a true friend right there. He really does rock and I appreciate his friendship a great deal.

I also greatly appreciate the help offered from the other person. I just hope I’m not too exhausted to learn anything once we get finished with what we’re going to do there in the first place.

Got a helmet, lock, and air pump for the tires. All I really need is a repair kit but otherwise I’m set to go.

Now to find somewhere to learn and someone to learn from.

It really is surprising how unsympathetic people can be regarding first time adult riders. Its always just assumed that one is learning to ride a motorcycle.

Here’s a positive nod to the Target on Tioga Parkway at Mondawmin Mall in Baltimore City. One of the cashiers was totally cool when she found out about my lack of skills, going so far as to encourage me where a good majority of the people I’d disclosed my scarlet secret to over the years laughed in my face.

Is it really such a sin to be almost thirty and a first time bicycle rider?

The class being held in Towson was a total bust. I cannot make it there with my bike and, even if I could get out to Towson, most of the places they’re going to practice riding are far enough away that it would again be impractical.

I will keep trying. Tonight, I’m going to practice balancing again like I saw the guy in the street doing.

The only reason I got my bike was because Sheldon Brown gave me good information on how to pick one out. In honor of his memory, I’m committed to learning how to do this.

I’m looking into a class being advertised here in Baltimore county but I’m clueless as to how I’m going to get myself and my rather large bike from here in Woodlawn to Towson. It’s far to big to fit inside all but the largest car trunks and the distance, while walkable, is made exponentially more difficult with me guiding a bike along several heavy traffic roads.

The local MTA doesn’t have a reliable means of getting between the only two methods of transportation that do accomodate bike riding passengers. The Lightrail and Metro do allow bikes but there are no bike racks on the buses that would get a passenger to those two transport options. :(

Remind me to make more money so I can live closer to DC…wait…too hot. Montreal. Remind me to somehow get my Leaf card and move to Montreal.

I put up a posting on Craigslist that apparently amused people so much that they were offering me their bicycles for free. So now I have a bike and I’m teaching myself to ride it. :)