I finally have a bike to ride. Not the bike that I’ll commute on, that won’t be for another couple weeks. But a bike to ride on is finally part of my life again.
I have been doing so much research in preparation to begin bike commuting that not having a bike to ride on at all has been aggravating. Partially because reading about biking made me want to get out and do it. And also because I need to get conditioned, at least to a point, to be able to handle the almost 30 miles of riding I’ll be doing daily once I’m bike commuting.
There are other reasons to bike, of course. Pure enjoyment, seeing parts of the world that I have never had a chance to notice before.
Last night, for instance, I rode about 3 or 4 miles away, and then back. I was amazed, it was like entering a new world. I saw that there are community gardens the equivalent of 2 blocks away. That close! And I’d had absolutely no idea even though I have an intense interest in these things. It is right next door to the off leash dog park I’d noticed a couple months ago.
It isn’t a street I’ve driven more than a handful of times, is a partial reason for my ignorance, but I think it is typical the way these things are obscured from us when we speed by enclosed in metal and glass.
And wouldn’t you know, not more than another quarter mile further were yet more community gardens. These stretched for at least a mile along the nearby bike path. It was such a nice use of the land, it gave me a really good feeling about the community as a whole. And as I rode further, seeing a lush and beautiful area along a small creek, I saw signs explaining the wetlands that had been planted there for environmental and ecological reasons.
Again, the warm fuzzy feeling.
This path was pretty flat, having once been a rail road line, which is why I was able to ride a fair distance for a first bike ride in years. I got a really large reality check on my way home after turning off the trail and onto the road home.
Giant Hill.
Really really giant.
I knew as I’d gone down it that it was going to be quite something to come back up. I got maybe a tenth of the way up before I had to walk it. I didn’t mind, though my legs protested even walking up it. I feel no shame in walking a hill like that (or any hill to be honest) – what shame can there be in getting anywhere by my own steam?
So I made it up the hill, got back on my bike, and got back on the road. And a few minutes later I was home.
This hill, the giant monster hill, is something I’ll have to tackle every day coming home from work, unless I can find a way around it. I imagine it will take me months and a good set of granny gears to be able to ride it all the way up.
I don’t think I’ll mind.
annabelle
July 13, 2008 at 7:22 pm
I love biking, so I support you completely
July 14, 2008 at 10:52 am
Awesome that you are back in the saddle and enjoying it. I hope that giant hill is not one I will need to ride up when down there.
Hopefully they will have the roads reconstructed so all my rides are downhill both ways
Seriously congrats that you are riding again.
July 14, 2008 at 11:12 am
Oh the hills… They get me everytime too. I’m not sure which are worse. The short, steep hills or the long, gradual uphills.
I’ve been taking the kids to daycare several times a week on my bike and there have been DAYS when my van stays in the driveway. We are lucky to have at least 4 parks that we bike to regularly. yippee!!
PEDAL POWER ON!!
July 14, 2008 at 1:10 pm
That’s cool that your bike has such a pretty name. Enjoy!
July 14, 2008 at 2:12 pm
it’s always interesting to see things from a new vantage point. have fun exploring and preparing for your new commute. i’m sure you’ll be cruising up that hill in no time
July 14, 2008 at 4:41 pm
bike, thank you!
Rich, indeed, I’ll introduce you to that giant hill right away, and we’ll get to face it on the way home from the conference each day! I will try to help you avoid it on your way here from the bus, especially since you’ll have a loaded bike at that point!
Random, I know what you mean, at least with the super steep hills, you have to just walk it (if you’re like me) and it is over with fairly soon. The long gradual ones are a slow burn that doesn’t seem like it will ever end! I think it is awesome that you’re taking your kids to daycare by bike so often, and to the parks. I picked up my “new” red bike on Friday (it is 22 years old, I love it!) and the woman I bought it from said that she’d seen an ever growing number of moms in the neighborhood go to the grocery store by bike, usually with their kids. It is great to see! Or hear.
FW, thanks!
heather, I’m not sure this hill is one that is achievable! Or maybe it has grown steadily in my mind ever since I rode it. I’m going to try to get some pictures of it today, despite that it is generally impossible to adequately show steepness of hills in photos. Still, I will try!
August 3, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Cool. It took almost a day to find this info. Thanks! Good job.
August 13, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Deb, I really like the photo with this article! Nice angle, nice depth of field, interesting lighting. I read a few of your other posts, and I’m glad to hear things are going well with your bike commuting.
August 13, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Thanks Scott! I need to get a pic of my new bike at some point too.