Here are the rules I'm setting out for myself:
- bike as much as possible, not just out of necessity, but for exercise and fun, too. Like on the Mohawk-Hudson Bikeway or over to The Crossings of Colonie.
- riding in a car is permitted in special circumstances (e.g. attending Matt & Judi's wedding in my tux)
- driving a car is permitted in emergency circumstances (e.g. medical crises; hauling junk from my parents' basement to the town dump in Dave's truck...if you're wondering how the second example constitutes an emergency then you have clearly never seen my parents' basement)
That's about it. Haven't worked out all the kinks. Still need a poncho, for instance. And I don't have any saddlebags (they militate against the "cool/rugged mountain biker" look I'm going for*), so grocery shopping will be hit & run, but I think that's a good thing.
Wish me luck.
I'll leave you with some words of wisdom from "Bicycle Race," lyrics by Freddie Mercury. It's got it all: drugs, patriotic symbols, photo ops, French elitism, religion, Nixon, McGovern, and bicycles. So poignant in an election year...
You say "coke," I say "caine"
You say "John," I say "Wayne"
"Hot dog" - I say "Cool it, man -
I don't wanna be the President of America."
You say "Smile," I say "Cheese!"
"Cartier" - I say "Please!"
"Income tax," I say "Jesus -
I don't wanna be a candidate
For Vietnam or Watergate!"
'Cuz all I want to do is ...
Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like
* also militating against the "rugged/cool mountain biker" look is the silly helmet that sits atop my gargantuan cranium.
3 comments:
Woo hoo!
I have been a (mostly) weekend-only driver for a year now, and in consequence have made peace with:
1. The helmet. I, too, have a big cranium. I also have a friend (ahem) whose sister got hit by a car last year and if I leave the house without the helmet she's letting me borrow while she incubates a baby, I hear her voice in the back of my head reminding me what can happen to one's skull if such a thing happens to me.
2. The need for saddlebags or a basket of some sort. Part of this is because of my stupid aching back. Part of it is because the sweat that accumulates in the areas of contact between back and backpack are starting to wear me down. Mostly it's because it feels nicer to bike without weight attached to my body. I still haven't invested in these, but I'm starting to see them as a necessity.
3. The rain. Scratch that. I haven't made peace with the rain, nor will I, I think. I just try to make it to campus and back in the brief interludes between storms if possible (this requires keeping a close eye on the radar at WNDU.com). Tell us how the poncho works out if you try it.
Good luck!
Michael,
I, always one to play Devil's advocate, have a question. Are you allowing yourself public transportation? I guess this question doesn't matter too much because of where you live. I'm just looking for ground rules for when Dave "10 Car" Dupuis gives this gig a shot. Do you have any type of employment to get to during this month, or can you just veg out playing piratesin your parents' still cluttered basement? Either way, contrary to my republican tendencies, I applaud your effort.
J-mac for Prez!
No public transportation. Not because I'm against it, but because, as you know, I'd have to travel a few miles in either direction just to get to the bus lines. Might as well bike the whole way.
No job this month. Probably could've picked up some tutoring gigs, but I'm going to concentrate on cleaning OUT my parents' basement (so I can play "Sid Meier's Pirates" on the Commodore 64, obviously. Speaking of: found the C-64 keyboard today while cleaning. AND a printout of a rhyme you and I made up. Hilarious.)
Not sure if Dave is down for this adventure. There might be nobody more addicted to oil-based transportation than him. But word around the neighborhood is that he's in the market for a moped.
Post a Comment