Life is like riding a bicycle - in order to keep your balance, you must keep moving.Albert Einstein (1879-1955) physicist, philosopher, peace activist
when I got back from my texas wanders my friend lin presented me with the most wonderful gift - the use of an extra bike she has laying around. as a voluntarily car-free person who most often uses public transportation or walks, having a bicycle at my disposal is going to open up all sorts of new vistas - not to mention save time!
it's been quite a while since I've ridden a bike but I learned that it is true you do never forget how to ride a bike! however, I discovered that bikes today are a great deal more complicated than the bikes I used to ride! I'm also a lot more safety conscious than I used to be so last weekend when I was visiting my folks in metro dc, I ran out to the local rei and picked up a lovely bike helmet, subtlety decorated with images of lotus flowers, for 25% off!
if only my town got busy and started expanding those bike lanes like they promised!
bottom photo - me on my bike in 1962, memphis
8 comments:
Good deal-- I was also car free when I lived in San Francisco, & in addition to MUNI & BART, I biked (& walked a lot). It's a wonderful way to get around (but better with bike lanes!)
That's one gorgeous gift! I loved the article (and the expression 'free lunch learning' - English is a great language for that kind of evocative imagery.)
Lovely vid and very sweet song, too.
Have a great weekend, kimy.
As a fellow "voluntarily car-free person", I salute you! The bike looks cool. Mostly I go places on foot, long distance is public transportation. I never did get the hang of riding a bike, and now I probably wouldn't bother because I'd be afraid that even going at bike speed I'd miss something I'd see easily on foot. I know, I know, but that's the way my mind works. Heh, heh!
I never heard of Katie Melua. Very laid back! Thanks for yet another musical introduction.
riding bikes....ahhhhh...my college days in Davis, CA where a bike is more valuable than a car...
i cannot say enough about the photo of you....love the bike...car...your hair style elements of dating the picture...lovely moment of memory
Ah, another Katie Melua fan. I love her songs and her voice.
Congratulations on the bicycle - and on the helmet. Having fallen off a bicycle and landed on my helmeted head a few years ago, I know the value of the helmet, and I won't ride without one. Ever.
john - considering where you live now I expect it would be most difficult to be vehicle free these days. I'm hoping there's some stimulus money for bike lanes!
rlb - all languages are so rich, n'est ce pas?
roy - I hear you about bike speed. but running to the grocery store is so much faster with the bike than on foot! and for other errands.
I don't expect I'll be abandoning walking as my primary mode of transport especially considering that I'm way too paranoid to take my camera with me on the bike (just in case) and it's hard for me to go anywhere without my camera!
r4h - re my air, I bet that is the year I cut my own bangs! that was a great car - my parents bought it in 1955 right before I was born. it was well traveled, the car left our family in guam in 1966 where it remained to spend the rest of its days in an island paradise.
sandra - I'm happy you were wearing a helmet! I've heard too many awful stories of folks riding bikes without helmets to risk it....
Good for you! Great exercise, too. I wish I could be car free, but it would never work, here...
How very green and commendable of you. I'd probably ride a bike if I didn't live in such a hilly area. Nice gift though it's in great condition! We're pretty good with bike lanes in the burbs but not so much in the city.
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