Maiden Voyage

You are looking at a woman who just rode her FANTASTIC NEW DONATED by SUSIE^TM BIKE home from work for the first time, in the dark, using directions cobbled together from the internets, in 46F, and who did not fall off (it was close), get run over, mauled by an errant post or fireplug in the middle of the freakin' sidewalk, or gored by a "deer with horns," as one kind driver rolled down her window to tell me was awaiting me up ahead on the sidewalk of the six-lane highway I had to ride on for about 1/4 mile. That's when I started singing "I Whistle a Happy Tune, So No One Will Suspect I'm Afraid."

It was a BLAST.

Riding through nearly deserted (car-deserted, anyways) darkened neighborhoods, with the wind blowing, the leaves rustling, the smell of fall in the air, the sights and sounds coming from cozily lit houses along the way—where all the normal people live. Ya don't get that in a car!

In fact, it really starts to pain me when I think of how many years I've spent killing this planet by driving when I could have been riding.

I followed this map, which came with directions and which I read by the light of my bike lamp. What was tough to read were the street signs. The route went through many back streets, except for that 1/4 mile of hell where the deer, antelope, and insane drivers roam. It was so fantastic being out in the cold, with my makeshift bike clothes and my new bike pedals thank you aj. I was toasty warm.

Here's the route I followed from downtown Bethesda to my home sweet home.



If there are any Bethesda riders out there who can tell me how to avoid Old Georgetown Road to get to Montgomery Mall, without ending up on Democracy Blvd., I'm all ears. Tonight I took this route only to Old Georgetown, where I diverted and rode up Old Georgetown, past the Giant and up and over 270.

But whatever. I can't wait to do it again. But there are a few precautions I'm going to have to take such as learning how to change a flat and carrying all that crap with me.

Oh, and trying to retain feeling in my butt would be nice too.

Want a Free Bike?

Um, heck yes!

While waiting in one of my numerous doctors-dentists-oralsurgeon's-offices, I happened to pick up a copy of Bicycling magazine.

Flipping through, I came across a story about an organization that is giving away 50 bikes in several cities this summer: BikeTown.

The Web site is here. You have to write an essay, and the program only operates in several cities, and I'm guessing there are judging criteria (though I couldn't find them), but whatevah! This is a cool program!

Here's the history, which apparently began, like most save-the-world ideas, in California.

About 15 years ago, long before he was primarily known as a wonkish proponent of utility cycling, or the idea that bikes should be ridden to get somewhere rather than for sport, Joe Breeze was downing beers at a party in Northern California...when someone asked, just making party conversation, "Can bikes really save the world?"

"Wrong question," Breeze said. With a hand holding a red plastic beer cup he gestured around the room at the cycling cognoscenti.

"The real question is how can we get enough people on bikes to save the world?" ...

Change lives? You bet. Change the world? ...

If you're in one of the target cities (alas, not I), who knows, you just might qualify. Check it out.