If you want to fall in love with life again;

Start by riding a bike.

Last night an old friend and I were messaging and talking about the latest happenings in our life and I informed him of my new cycling habit. That’s when he told me, “If you want to fall in love with life again, start by riding a bike.”

I passed over the comment at first. Since that conversation it has come back to me over and over again. My life has changed since buying my bicycle and committing to ride it as often as possible.

I am falling in love with life again. As I pedal along I see things I would never have seen from a car. I get out of the house more. I spend more time with my family. There has been a lot of change in the last few months and while I don’t think the bicycle is a miracle maker, a lot of what has changed began with the bicycle.

Current status.

Current status.

We had a choice today of going to the movies or going for a bike ride. I had to go into work earlier this morning and on my way home the sunshine and the breeze in my face made up my mind rather quickly. My daughter is 5 and getting pretty good at peddling along. We rode from our home to Bear Creek Park which is about 1 1/2 mile ride. We don’t go very fast but the ride was fantastic.  We saw a group of kids cleaning up Bear Creek. Now that winter is here and the water has receded the trash, shopping carts, and broken furniture that have been thrown in are now visible. It was good to see volunteers doing the work. I like seeing people care about the world around them and spending time to make it better.

We had a choice today of going to the movies or going for a bike ride. I had to go into work earlier this morning and on my way home the sunshine and the breeze in my face made up my mind rather quickly.

My daughter is 5 and getting pretty good at peddling along. We rode from our home to Bear Creek Park which is about 1 1/2 mile ride. We don’t go very fast but the ride was fantastic. 

We saw a group of kids cleaning up Bear Creek. Now that winter is here and the water has receded the trash, shopping carts, and broken furniture that have been thrown in are now visible. It was good to see volunteers doing the work. I like seeing people care about the world around them and spending time to make it better.

Nice Day For a Bike Ride.

California is a strange place in the winter. Granted we are having a very mild and dry winter but even given the slightly abnormal conditions it is not unlikely to have days like today. High 60’s to low 70’s and beautiful sunshine.

It’s been nearly a week since I was in the saddle. A business trip to Sacramento followed by a family trip to Orange County kept my bike sad and lonely in garage.

When the family finally stirred this morning and we put away the remnants of our travels my daughter came to me and asked if she could ride her bike in the backyard. I told her to go get dressed and make sure she had her helmet. When she returned I led her in to the garage and opened it up. She began making her way towards the back yard until she saw me putting my helmet on. Her eyes lit up and away we went for a loooong ride down Bear Creek in the winter sunshine.

We didn’t go fast but she rode steady and it was a good time for me to impart to her the rules of the road. Where to ride and where not to ride as well as how to single lane changes. We rode for over an hour with a brief rest stop in the park at G street. Wonderful day.

Making people think. WTH?

Making people think. WTH?

A new Brooks B17 for my ride.

A new Brooks B17 for my ride.

btothed:

lindstifa:

I love these new bike racks near the Sheridan red line stop.

Hey Milwaukee, how about it?

Debating

I’m still at the point where I debate with myself each morning about riding a bicycle. The choice is difficult when I see fog outside and I’m running a few minutes behind where I wanted to be. Luckily my love for my bike has been winning out over my laziness.

Today I rode for the first time without my head lamp. I purchased some bicycle lights from Target the other day and while I think they will do very will at alerting traffic to my presence during the dark and foggy morning; I find the front light to be woefully inadequate in actually lighting the path ahead. Of course, when it’s really foggy it’s almost better to be riding in the darkness.

Today was not a day that I expected to do much in the way of riding. My travels for the most part were far away and also required the transportation of more than myself.

Being that it was the first day of the New Year I thought it would be good to get my family a treat. I dressed, put on a jacket and a scarf, and opened the garage. After securing a cardboard box in the rear rack of my bicycle I was off. Before I had reached the North Bear Creek Bike Path I realized that it was a much colder morning than I had expected and gloves would have been a very wise decision. I gripped the handle bars tightly hoping that the growing warmth in my body from the physical exertion would push some warmed blood into my frozen fingers. About halfway between McKee and G Street I realized this was a foolish hope and tucked my hands into the sleeves of my jacket.

I’ve read in many places that riding a bicycle makes you more social. I’ll admit that I definitely am more friendly while riding. As I’ve traveled the bike path I’ve passed walkers, runners, and other cyclists. All with whom I’ve exchanged some sort of greeting or other such pleasantry. Do I expect to find any great friendships while riding? No, but the possibility is not all together ruled out.

I made my way to Yum Yum donut on G Street. Made the purchase for my families breakfast. Loaded the goods in the box (which I really need to turn into a basket) and started the return trip.

As soon as I had returned to the bike path I was struck by the way the rising sun, burning fog, and barren trees combined to make a beautiful scene. I stopped to take a picture. Then, further along I came across two white herons in the bottom of the creek. Herons are among some of my favorite animals.

These are the types of things I am excited about discovering from my saddle. I never would have seen this light, birds and trees had I taken an automobile.

What am I doing here?

I’m starting this blog to document my adventures in transforming from an overweight lazy automobile commuter to a bicycle commuter (no promises on a change in the overweight department). For some this may sound to be a simple thing (especially those living in communities with fantastic public transportation). This is a little more challenging for me. I live in a community of approximately 80,000 people located in the heart of Central California. If you want to go anywhere you take a car.

I’ve lived in the Central Valley for the majority of my life and in general have had no issues getting around. I moved to this town of Merced three years ago and was quickly frustrated with the absolutely awful way in which traffic is managed in this town but thought my only option was to just deal with it.

Around June of this year my wife mentioned that she would like to get a bike and trailer as she thought it would be fun to take our two small children out for rides. I obliged and for her birthday purchased a bike for her. I don’t know if words could adequately describe the joy I saw on her face when she first pedaled that purple beach cruiser down our driveway and around the neighborhood.

By the next weekend I too had a bicycle. An old Schwinn beach cruiser that I had picked up at a bike shop run out of someones garage. The family and I had a nice time riding the neighborhood and discovering little unknown trails and parks in our town but I felt very limited by the fixed gear of the Schwinn.

While perusing Twitter one day @Mike_FTW posted a link to PUBLIC Bikes and their special Bleeker model bicycle. I looked it over. Liked it. Went back. Looked it over again. Loved it. Went back. Couldn’t stop thinking about it but just couldn’t justify spending $1200+ on a bicycle.

Some time passed and I would go back and look at the PUBLIC website. Then, in late November I noticed they had $100 off special on selected models. I looked at the site. Saw the V7 for $100 off and decided then and there that it was time to buy the bike. I made the purchase.

On the first weekend in December I hooked up the newly purchased bike rack and threw my two young children in the car and made the drive to San Francisco to pick up my new bike. 

It was a busy day at the bike shop and I was a bit put off by the crowd. Tweed and wool seemed to be the fabric of choice. The crowd gathered around the entrance were laughing and apparently just hanging out. Wow, I thought, they say riding a bike makes you more social. I don’t remember thinking then (or now) that hanging out at a bike shop on a Saturday morning would be on my list of things to do.

I entered the shop with my children in tow and was immediately greeted by a couple of men in their early twenties working steadily on bikes and with customers in the smallish front show room. I gave them my name and the taller of the two gentlemen disappeared momentarily and then returned with my bicycle. I was told to climb aboard and very quickly and efficiently the seat was adjusted. We made our way through the crowd outside the shop and were cheered on by a few as they ascertained my new purchase.

When I arrived home and unloaded the bicycle I finally got a chance to look it over. This bike truly is a thing of beauty. When thinking about bikes I was sure my choices were limited to beach cruisers, traditional ten speeds, and off road type bicycles. None of which would be ideally suited to the purpose for which I intend to use my bicycle.

I made a test ride that Sunday from my home to work and discovered that my commute was only lengthened by 6 minutes. It was official, I would start riding a bike to work.

Why am I doing this? That seems to be the question most often asked. I’ve heard speculations from a pending bankruptcy and bad finances (not true) to a loss of my license due to DUI (also, not true). I’m doing this because it’s guaranteed daily exercise. I’m doing this because it feels awesome. I’m doing this because I want to get to know my community better. I’m doing it because I want to.

My intent with this blog is to document my adventures from the seat of my bike. To express my feelings about making this subtle change in my life. Am I giving up the car? No. I will however, be doing everything I can to not use it.

I hope you enjoy the ride.