Living Car Free - What does S.U.M.M.E.R. mean?

S.U.M.M.E.R. = Some Utterly Memorable and Magically Entertaining Rides

I'm hoping people will take a minute to tell us about a summer ride they've taken that was especially fun and entertaining. I love reading about other rider's experiences. Also, people who are thinking about becoming carfree should get the chance to see that this lifestyle isn't only about saving money and being friendly to the planet. It's also a lot of fun!

This doesn't have to be an epic--just a fun time you had on your bike on a warm day.

OK I'll go first.

I just moved about a month ago, so I am still in the process of seeing the sites. I decided to go for a ride downtown, about ten miles for me. Oh I must mention my fiance just washed my cyclocomputer :eek: That added a new sense of freedom, because I don't know exact speed or distance.

It was a hot humid day, I had a camelbak full of water and I took off. Most people take a very busy highway to get downtown. I found this GREAT country road, that is only very lightly travelled. It was excellent, I only saw a few cars, it was a long winding type road. I had all the space I wanted until I could hear a car coming, then I would move over. I saw a meduim size snake, and I thought it was great that I could just zoom by him because I don't like snakes. I saw people outside and I waved to them.

The road ended downtown, by merging with the busy highway which I only took a couple of blocks, and then I stopped in a college parking lot to sit for a minute. I only wished that I had brought lunch.

I hopped back on the bike, deciding to head home, I got back on the busy highway for a little bit, and then I had climb a slight hill, and make a left to get back on my country road. Well I noticed I had the green arrow, so I sped up and got over to the side and I leaned just right and made a beautiful high speed turn. I have to throw that in because there was a car full of girls watching... :D

The best part of the ride... Knowing that all those poor people are stuck on that highway with the traffic, construction, and bad drivers, and i'm not!

On Thursday, my last day off, I spent pretty much the entire day having fun on my bike. It was a beautiful summer day, but a bit cooler than usual. After a 9:00appointment, these are some of the things I did on my day off, all by bike:

I rode on our Rivertrail to a nice park. I "mountain biked" on the single track through the old growth beech forest. It's been so dry that my slick tires worked fine on the trails.

I rented a rowboat and rowed around the little lake for an hour, almost falling asleep as I drifted in the sun for a while.

I headed over to East Lansing and ate at my favorite middle-eastern restaurant. I got back on the trail and followed the Red Cedar and Grand rivers back to downtown Lansing. I went to the library and read Bikeforums for a while.

I went to an outdoor jazz concert at the local college that was pretty cool, daddy-o. Then I putzed around a bit and stumbled on a small crowd of people by the fish ladder in Oldtown. They were amateur musicians jamming on guitars, mandolins, violins, etc.--all folk and bluegrass tunes. I didn't have an instrument so i took my water bottle and played it like a jug, sitting on my bike like a portable chair. That was so much fun!

On the way home my tire went flat and i decided to walk the last 6 blocks and fix it at home, since it was almost dark. It sure was a great day, and the only money I spent was about $8 for my meal at the restaurant. I was away from home for about 12 hours, and actually "in the saddle" for about 2 hours and 25 minutes.

S.U.M.M.E.R. = a groovy 95lb early tween-aged blond wearing a see~through ankle length skirt and blouse with the sun between you and her; looking with utter amazement... as my bike careens into the back of a Caddy convertible landing in the backseat head first. Whilst reposing and getting the next glance over the edge of the door, you see her snickering in a way that just melts your heart. Then the 6'6", 340lb brotha' that owns the pimp-mobile you just hit says "HEY YOU!..." ...and the moment is gone...

S.U.M.M.E.R. ... How a moment can last a lifetime :p