Five years by bike
It's been five years since I got the sudden wild idea to buy a bike. Since then I've lost 65 pounds, sold my car, reduced my transportation expenses to $75 a month, let my driver's license lapse, and, in a not-entirely-unrelated development, retired1.
In the same five year period, Portland has gone from the Number One Bike City in the US to lowly Number Four (not by getting worse so much as being surpassed by more ambitious cities). It's still an awesome place to ride, though.
When I started, I was the only overweight, gray-haired lady on a Dutchie in the whole damn place. Now I'm not even the only one on my street. I like to think I had something to do with tipping the balance. It's still a young white guy's game, but not by nearly the margins I witnessed five years ago.
My first bike was Clyde. Though it was kind of a crappy bike (sorry, Clyde), it got me started and made me fall in love.
I upgraded to a Dutch bike, Eleanor, six months later, and we've been happy together ever since. I gave Clyde away this past spring.
In all this time, Eleanor has had a grand total of two flat tires. I've replaced her:
I've added:
I've ridden:
1A not-insignificant contributor to my decision to retire at 58 was my steeply reduced transportation costs.
Crossposted from Dreamwidth, where there are
comments.
In the same five year period, Portland has gone from the Number One Bike City in the US to lowly Number Four (not by getting worse so much as being surpassed by more ambitious cities). It's still an awesome place to ride, though.
When I started, I was the only overweight, gray-haired lady on a Dutchie in the whole damn place. Now I'm not even the only one on my street. I like to think I had something to do with tipping the balance. It's still a young white guy's game, but not by nearly the margins I witnessed five years ago.
My first bike was Clyde. Though it was kind of a crappy bike (sorry, Clyde), it got me started and made me fall in love.
I upgraded to a Dutch bike, Eleanor, six months later, and we've been happy together ever since. I gave Clyde away this past spring.
In all this time, Eleanor has had a grand total of two flat tires. I've replaced her:
- Pedals
- Headlight (from incandescent to LED)
- Saddle
- Rear wheel
- Wheel lock and chain
- Mud flap (a couple of times)
- Gear hub (an optional upgrade)
- Shifter (also an optional upgrade)
- Brakes
- Tires
I've added:
- A cupholder
- A bell
- A rearview mirror
- A phone mount
- Three (removable) baskets
- Christmas lights
- Work
- Grocery shopping
- Theaters
- Community bike-activism meetings (okay, meeting, singular--not really my thing)
- Concert halls
- Cinemas
- Liquor stores
- Zumba classes
- Social events
- Family visits
- IKEA
- Landscape nurseries
- My hairdresser
- My doctor
- My dentist
- My nail salon
- The hardware store
- Restaurants
I've ridden:
- In the rain (so much rain)
- In sleet
- In snow
- In ice
- In the dead of night
- In 100 degree heat
- On perfect autumn days
- In high winds
- In summer crowds
- In car traffic
- In depression (actually what happens is that I ride out of depression)
- While listening to loud rock 'n' roll
- With friends
- Across bridges
- While under the influence of (very modest amounts of) alcohol
- With voice navigation in unfamiliar parts of town
- "Graduated" to racing, competition, or group rides
- Bought any bike-specific clothes
- Toured, or gone farther than 20 miles in a day
- Gone camping by bike
- Been tempted by mountain biking
- Collected additional bikes
- Been in a wreck
- Looked back
1A not-insignificant contributor to my decision to retire at 58 was my steeply reduced transportation costs.
Crossposted from Dreamwidth, where there are
comments.