I've been meaning to start documenting my first experiences at being one of those bicycling commuters you thought you'd never be. You know what I'm talking about--the people you curse for making you slow down because you're not sure if you can pass them, and in the end you may just run into them because they always don the craziest neon vests and attach blinkers on every article of clothing. Yes, I've become one of those-minus the fashion faux pas.
I'm going to be dedicating a lot of posts on this blog specifically to share my experiences on how I am integrating bicycling as a daily routine and my interpretation of the urban cycling culture in the Bay Area.
Many times before riding, I really have to mentally prepare myself and remind myself to be alert. There are many times where I have had close encounters that could have ended up in a bad situation IF I lost my concentration for one second. What can I say, I'm a natural when it comes to day dreaming! So, preparing myself to be out on the road 5 days a week for 14 miles each day--I had some serious planning ahead of me. It's one thing to have a bicycle for leisure and errands on the weekends, but when it becomes your one mode of transportation to get to and from places, it really gives you confidence as a rider to research and learn more about what you're tackling. Maybe I'm just the sort of person who likes to be prepared before I put myself out on the street with other faster moving objects. Maybe it's because I've already had a pretty traumatizing experience with flying off my bicycle and breaking my clavicle. Just hearing those horror stories about the most experienced bicyclists who fall victim to cars and the road is already enough for me to protect myself and just prepare for the worst.
Case in point, I fell off my bicycle today. And no, battle scars on girls are not cool. I have a gashed knee and many bruises and scrapes all over my legs. Think, bare legs meeting asphalt and grease and gears. By how clean the two large gashes on my knees are--it's probably from the teeth of gears of my own bicycle. I feel like my legs are mangled up and have been chewed on. On the upside of it all, I had a smashing outfit on.
The cause of the actual fall is not noteworthy, but I do blame my lack of focus on the road and negligence to take care of my bicycle as the cause of it. My saddle was loose. When I mean loose, I mean it was sliding up and down on the seat post. Riding to work was so painful because the bicycle I am riding now is already in such an uncomfortable position that having the seat not stay in place just adds to the discomfort. I should have gone to the bicycle shop around the corner to just ask them to use some tools. Instead, I decided to tough it out
and not do anything about it. Bad idea. Another bad idea is not having the proper equipment to secure your items on your back rack. I have using this satin ribbon to tie my purses and lunches to the rack. Bad idea. I was speeding past the intersection when I realized I couldn't pedal anymore. In the middle of the intersection. When I picked up my bicycle and headed towards the sidewalk, I realized the ribbon was all tangled up in the gears on the back wheel. How smart can one be? Just one bad thing after another.
I have learned much from this experience and tomorrow I will post up some tips to have safer ride. Learn from my mistakes, fellow lady-riders!
I'm going to be dedicating a lot of posts on this blog specifically to share my experiences on how I am integrating bicycling as a daily routine and my interpretation of the urban cycling culture in the Bay Area.
Many times before riding, I really have to mentally prepare myself and remind myself to be alert. There are many times where I have had close encounters that could have ended up in a bad situation IF I lost my concentration for one second. What can I say, I'm a natural when it comes to day dreaming! So, preparing myself to be out on the road 5 days a week for 14 miles each day--I had some serious planning ahead of me. It's one thing to have a bicycle for leisure and errands on the weekends, but when it becomes your one mode of transportation to get to and from places, it really gives you confidence as a rider to research and learn more about what you're tackling. Maybe I'm just the sort of person who likes to be prepared before I put myself out on the street with other faster moving objects. Maybe it's because I've already had a pretty traumatizing experience with flying off my bicycle and breaking my clavicle. Just hearing those horror stories about the most experienced bicyclists who fall victim to cars and the road is already enough for me to protect myself and just prepare for the worst.
Case in point, I fell off my bicycle today. And no, battle scars on girls are not cool. I have a gashed knee and many bruises and scrapes all over my legs. Think, bare legs meeting asphalt and grease and gears. By how clean the two large gashes on my knees are--it's probably from the teeth of gears of my own bicycle. I feel like my legs are mangled up and have been chewed on. On the upside of it all, I had a smashing outfit on.
The cause of the actual fall is not noteworthy, but I do blame my lack of focus on the road and negligence to take care of my bicycle as the cause of it. My saddle was loose. When I mean loose, I mean it was sliding up and down on the seat post. Riding to work was so painful because the bicycle I am riding now is already in such an uncomfortable position that having the seat not stay in place just adds to the discomfort. I should have gone to the bicycle shop around the corner to just ask them to use some tools. Instead, I decided to tough it out
and not do anything about it. Bad idea. Another bad idea is not having the proper equipment to secure your items on your back rack. I have using this satin ribbon to tie my purses and lunches to the rack. Bad idea. I was speeding past the intersection when I realized I couldn't pedal anymore. In the middle of the intersection. When I picked up my bicycle and headed towards the sidewalk, I realized the ribbon was all tangled up in the gears on the back wheel. How smart can one be? Just one bad thing after another.
I have learned much from this experience and tomorrow I will post up some tips to have safer ride. Learn from my mistakes, fellow lady-riders!
