Originally Posted by
Roody
To kind of swing things back on topic, there have been three major things in my lifetime that have stopped me from riding for varying lengths of time.
Not knowing that bicycling is a valid form of transportation. For much of my life I was carfree but walked everywhere or used public transit. It took an epiphany, like a light in the road, to show me that cycling would be a good way to get places. It's faster than walking and sometimes faster (and usually cheaper) than taking a bus. Nowadays, with so many bike commuters around my location, I think I would have figured this out much more quickly.....
I[STrike] found one of your points worthy of comment[/strike]...can personally relate to one of your points. I too had a virtual "epiphany" when I realized the utility of the bike for transportstion, and wrote about it in my introductions to BF
Originally Posted by
Jim from Boston
...Back in the 60’s in the Motor City, I had an “English Racer,’ and longed to tour at about age 14, but then joined the car culture. In Ann Arbor MI in the 70’s I really realized the utility of bicycles for commuting, and began touring on a five-speed Schwinn Suburban, but soon bought a Mercier as did my girlfriend, later my wife. We toured...[/b]
...and the rest is history. I can't remember the exact date, but it was a beautiful day in May, 1970, when I borrowed my roomate's Schwinn Varsity to run a few errands here and there within a few mile radius. He just told me I had to pedal while shifting gears.
Sorry to hear though of your crime and health issues.