Using a Bicycle as a Main Means of Tranportation at 60+ Years Old

Image Credit: Seemann via Morguefile.com

I took my first real bike trip today, where I actually stopped and locked it up and went inside somewhere. I rode up to the local grocery store, Ward's Supermarket. It's a little far to walk, so I put my fear aside and pulled out the cruiser.

I'm not really comfortable on the cruiser. I don't like the handlebars and it's sort of cumbersome for swerving in and out of traffic. I'll likely get a better bike soon, but this will do for now. I only took my U-Lock, because it's a pretty safe neighborhood, and I've seen  lots of bikes only locked up with cables that never get stolen, so I felt safe enough. I may take my cable too next time, just so I can cable the front wheel to something. I'd hate to come out and find my bike there, but my front wheel gone.

Surprisingly, I think I really like riding the bike. I went a little later than I normally do when I'm walking, so it was warmer. When I had to stop for crossings, I got a little sweaty, but then I was flying down the sidewalk and the breeze dried me off. It was a nice ride, just over a mile. I'm happy this city allows you to ride bikes on the sidewalks if there is no bike lane, because honestly, I feel much safer riding on the sidewalk. The basket is small, but it fits one insulated grocery bag well, if not perfectly. I can see myself riding down to the farmer's market for fresh produce on Wednesday afternoons, but not this week. I have enough produce for now. So the bike is a success, which makes me feel much better, because walking in this heat is getting to be more and more of a strain.

So tomorrow I am going to view the rental house. I've heard nothing else from the landlady with the tiny apartment, so I don't even know if that is still in play. I told her I was looking at another place and I would get back to her. She wanted to call one more person on my application, but I can't imagine who that was, since she called both my references.

I really hope this works out for this house, though. It's a mile or shortly over from everything I need....downtown, Sav-a-Lot, Dollar General, Family Dollar -- and several buses serve that area that go everywhere you need to go. It's nothing fancy, but I don't want fancy, I just want my own house with my own yard and my privacy at a price I can afford, which this is. I'm thinking since it is so close to downtown that I will just walk or bike up to the library to work for a while, to test out this new theory of having no internet at home. It would be a interesting experiment, that's for sure.

I'll write more tomorrow after I see it, but in the meantime, say a prayer or send out some good energy for me.