Places I have biked since I have last checked in: to work, to volunteer, to the credit union, to City Hall, to the grocery store, to the T station, and to the library.
Reasons why I have biked: because I love it, because of this whole 30 days of biking thing, because I haven’t had access to a car.
Gist has been unexpectedly away for the past week and she’s had our shared car with her. That means that I’ve had to get everywhere I’ve needed to go using a combination of my bike, my feet, and public transportation. Many wonderful people have offered me rides to help out but, being me, I’ve been stubborn and haven’t taken them up on their very kind and generous offers. I wanted to see if I could actually get everywhere I need to go without a car. Guess what?
I can. And it has, for the most part, been easy and fun. What I’ve realized in this past week is that the places that make up my everyday life are all pretty close together. Most everything I do falls within a four mile radius, and the things that are further away (like Boston) are accessible by transit. The only usual thing I haven’t been able to do during this time without a car is take Simon and Rudy: pause for the obligatory Simon and Rudy picture…
…is take Simon and Rudy to Doggie Day Camp. The reason I couldn’t is not because it’s far but because I haven’t yet figured out how to get the dogs on my bike. Maybe when I have the cargo bike of all my dreams…
Lowell is, despite its lack of bike lanes, racks, and any other types of cycle infrastructure, a pretty easy place to get around by bike. In the past year or so, I’ve noticed that a lot more people are getting around by bike here in Lowell. When I went to the Wood Street Market Basket yesterday there were four bikes parked outside.
Hi, Market Basket: you don’t have a bike rack but you do have a working pay phone.
It seems as though bikes have started to take over Lowell (watch out Portland, we’re coming for you 
) We’ve got bike racks on the LRTA buses and I’ve even heard a rumor that the city is thinking of painting sharrows and/or bike lanes on some of our streets.
Anyway, I’m just about halfway through this thing. It’s been less of an adjustment than I thought it would be and I’ve definitely been feeling happier for being on my bike. Next week looks to be pretty warm (a high of 90° F on Monday? WTH?) and sunny so I should have some good riding weather. Speaking of riding weather….
…this week has made me realize that the reason April is my least favorite month is because it is impossible to dress correctly. I understand how to dress to ride to work on a freezing day. I don’t really understand how to dress for sunny warmth in the morning, that turns into rain, then sun again, then hail (see photo above,) and then, just for fun, the temperature is 20 degrees colder in the afternoon than it was in the morning.
Don’t get me wrong: I’d still rather be on my bike than in my car, I just haven’t figured out how to dress for April without bringing my entire wardrobe with me
Also, if I had known it was going to hail on my way home, I probably would have taken the bus. Hail hurts.
Saturday, April 14, 2012 at 8:08 pm
Hail! Owie. Reading your posts makes me miss having a bike. Someday.