Hardy Cyclist

I haven't yet composed my list of winter tips and helpful items for cycling in the cold although it is coming. First, I just want to discuss the act of winter cycling. In my experience, people seem to think that it shouldn't be done. It's simply too cold and it's foolish to be outside in such temperatures. It has been cold for Georgia lately, but I've seen that our "normal" or average temperature for this time of year is in the 50's. The upper 30's that we've been "suffering" may feel extreme by comparison, but it's nothing in the face of what people up North are dealing with--and they're still on their bikes. These are the complaints of the soft and I feel pretty hardy by contrast.

Winter is always cold. Even in Georgia where "cold" means temperatures in the 50's. Given the cyclical nature of what we're dealing with it should be easy enough for us to come to terms with the season with the proper hats, scarves, gloves, and coats--and still spend time outdoors. I think it's rather unnatural to believe that one should spend an entire season indoors. Are we mice or men? I'm not saying that there aren't temperatures too low for cycling, but I'm not countering such a rational argument. Most of the people who comment at my cycling in our current temperatures seem to think that winter itself is too cold for being outdoors. I reflect upon my counterparts spending their leisure time in their heated TV rooms and feel quite tough. I like feeling that I'm doing something that others don't have the heart or the vigor to attempt. I wouldn't say that I was a girly-girl growing up, but I wasn't a tomboy either so to discover this inner grit is a pleasant surprise.

The Ride: What I've Learned So Far, Part II

from the dog painter's blog

• Avoid braking on gravel-covered surfaces. I'm lucky not to have fallen, twice. The second episode of wild skidding pretty much emblazoned this little tip in my memory.
• Old dogs don't chase you very far. I don't think it's because they're tired, I think it's because they know better than to stray too far from their yards.
• Avoid big sticks. (I learned that by observing Dan).
• If you roll the bike forward, the Pletscher kickstand folds up by itself (but sometimes not all the way up).
  

The Woods Are Lovely, Dark, And Deep

This trail provided a nice respite from riding on the sidewalk.

I broke about six rules--I have a hard time not talking to strangers. I'm glad I wasn't wearing headphones because that would've been a seventh violation. Considering the anti-headphones policy and the British media's demonization of iPod use while cycling maybe I should rethink new headphones for Xmas.

These wood aren't very deep, but they make a pretty picture don't they?

Today was a beautiful day for a bike ride--it was unseasonably warm with a bright blue sky and cool winds. The wind gusts were pretty forceful, but it was a practically perfect Fall day otherwise. I found a safe route to the park & ride and since Cobb County Transit has bike racks on their buses this could be a means for me to get into Atlanta more often. I also found a new trail, the Logan Farm Park Trail. Unfortunately, it's not very long at all, but it's nice while it lasts.

The Ride: What I've Learned So Far

• If you put your left foot on the left pedal first--just as one advances the left foot first in walking--you can get off to a pretty graceful start, especially after coming to a stop at an intersection. I never thought about this before when riding a bike so I thought I'd share.
• The "graceful start" seems nearly impossible to achieve on an incline. Perhaps with more practice...
• I think even drivers see how cool my bike is and that's why so many of them stopped short in order to stay out of my pictures. (One guy even got out of his big, green SUV to help me with my kickstand when I asked it for cooperation. I think he heard me).
• I love this bike!
• Betty does not love my shoes. My mom and I had admired her pedals as merely being "fancy," but after perusing the manual I found that they were designed to grip your shoes and help your feet stay in position on the pedals.
• I'm getting better at composing pictures but the execution is still lacking.
  
  

Anticipation

I knew that my bike would be ready Wednesday or Thursday. Wednesday night I literally didn't sleep. It feels like I turned twice in bed, blinked my eyes a few times and, the next thing I knew, it was 6:40 AM. I had to get up and get ready for class. I was tired, but excited about the call I was expecting from the bike shop. I was at the library around five o' clock when my cell phone rang--it was Outspokin' Bikes. My bike was ready! Unfortunately, there's no bike shop particularly close to me in Cartersville. Outspokin' Bikes is about seventeen miles away. After riding Praline home and jumping in the truck with plenty of blankets and old tee shirts, I made it to the bike shop shortly before closing.

I asked the bike mechanic who assembled Betty to pose with my new baby. (The photo must have come out like this because I was trembling with excitement). Then he put her in the back of the truck on two old blankets and I put the tee shirts around any points that were rubbing up against the truck bed--she was swaddled like a newborn baby.


I'm the type of person who likes to maintain the newness of a new thing for as long as possible; I can get a little freaky about it sometimes. When I first got my iPod, I would only put it in a pocket in my purse by itself--I didn't want anything knocking up against it. I didn't want it to get scratched. I got over it eventually, but gradually. Very gradually. I'd planned on being just as precious with Betty, but my inveterate procrastinating took care of that. Last night, I was so excited about my first ride on Betty in the morning that I couldn't sleep again. It was exactly the same as Wednesday night. I got up late this morning, wolfed down my breakfast, and hopped on Betty. It wasn't a very gracious hop, but I got under way without a problem. Regrettably, I didn't secure everything in my basket before heading out. I thought I could grab my bike lock before it slid out of the basket, but as I raced across the railroad tracks to beat the train that, as it turned out, wasn't coming, the lock got away from me and took a little bit of my wooden basket with it (not a lot, just some sort of coating on the wood). Luckily, the big AT&T van behind me didn't smoosh my bike lock under its tires. The driver actually got out and picked up my lock for me. He was nice--he complimented my bike and advised me to get some reflectors since it was such a dark color. I thanked him and he drove away.




When I reached school, I was presented with another problem. The bike rack looked positively Lilliputian. In order to lock my bike to the rack, I had to back it up and hook the lock around the dropouts. In the process, I scraped the rear fender against the building. So much for being precious with Betty. But I guess it's a good thing because it would be difficult to enjoy my bicycle to the fullest if I was overly worried about "messing it up."

Actually, I should be more worried about the damage my shoes might develop on Betty. No wonder Vivienne Westwood rides with her heels in her basket.
Nonetheless, I will ride tall. Literally. I feel so high up on this bike. I noticed it immediately and I thought, "I can look an SUV driver in the eye." Funnily, when I was on my way to the library after school I intimidated a younger SUV driver. I didn't even acknowledge her honk initially because no one has ever honked at me in town. When I casually turned to survey her through my sunglasses, I'm sure she shrank a bit. Her passenger passive aggressively yelled for me to get on the sidewalk before getting out of earshot. I've certainly felt more eyes on me today than usual; Betty really turns heads and, apparently, makes some chicks feel threatened. Sad. It would be so much easier for her to get a bike of her own than to try to spoil my good time. I'll be out and about enjoying myself tomorrow for sure.