For some reason I've been having a lot of conversations about bicycles today. One of them came up because someone at work offered his bike to me, so I could use it to get from off campus to campus. I declined his offer as his bike was too tall for me.
This created a few puzzled looks from my team. I am hesitant to ride any bike that is too tall for me after 1 too many accidents while I lived in the Netherlands, the first few weren't so bad, and pretty much ended up with me in a ditch with my legs wrapped around the bike.
The final straw was when I borrowed a bike from work, as mine was in the bike shop getting fixed. The bike I used, was one of those which didn't have handbrakes, but instead you peddled backwards to stop. Yeah, with my coordination skills I should have known it would be a bad idea. In addition my feet didn't reach the ground, even with a stretch.
I was cycling into to town to go to the bank I think. I got off campus easily enough, and I was doing great until I approached the road. Then, I realised the only way I was getting across was if I judged it right, and was able to make it without stopping. (It was a bit like that game, frogger). Well I was never very good at frogger either, and misjudged it, and cycled straight into the side of a moving car. The driver wasn't very happy, and was yelling at me, not that I can blame him. He was yelling in Dutch though, so luckily I couldn't really understand what he said. I just replied with "Sorry, Stomer engels" while pointing at myself.
I then got back on the bike, and started cycling again, I then realised the next thing I would have to take on would be a train. I decided one crash was enough for a day, turned around and pushed the bike back to work.
The other instance we were talking about bicycles today, was after a meeting. We have these meetings at work, where the folks from the exciting departments, present to us in the boring departments. Todays presentation was about Action Sports, such as snowboarding, skateboarding, and biking. They showed some great videos of crazy kids doing amazing things, which just look impossible to me. I found this one You Tube that was shown to us today:
(the shot of the guy on the bike falling into the water, that's where I work, I was there when it was filmed. The swimming pool shown is also at my work)
Flipping amazing. A little different from the BMX dares we did as kids, where we'd race each other down hills in the woods, while trying to avoid each other and the trees.
Imagine how alive they all feel in that video!
ReplyDeleteThanks, now, as a mom, I need to go make sure my kids are home safe....
Hahaha, They are hopefully tucked up in bed nice and safe.
ReplyDeleteWhen we were watching them on the half pipe, it was incredible, some of these kids are only 9 years old. I can rememeber thinking, what their parents must be going through. I'd be a nervous wreck.
I gave up driving fifteen years ago and ride a bike every day. Great weight loss program. I photographed the New England Surfing Championship at Hampton Beach, NH. Some of the younger surfers were pretty amazing. They aalso live the sport.
ReplyDeleteHi Jack,
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by.
I dont' drive, I have never even owned a license, although, I am working on it now. I still won't buy a car, but having a license may come in handy at some point, and I figure I should get it done sooner rather than later.
That must have been so much fun to photograph such an event, I bet the energy those surfers have is contagious. Do you surf?
I have a bike you can have. You will have to come and get it. It's orange. Brand new. Well, not new, just only used once, so it is LIKE new, even though it is old now. It was part of my "mental" exercise program. I'd mentally think about exercising, then I'd go out and buy various equipment. I have enough equipment to start a gym. Fills my garage. That stuff is much too boring I for me. Now I just walk and jog the trails on campus in my town. Should have saved my money. It's a pretty big bike, though. I'll get you some tall Frankenstein shoes to wear with it. You'll be ok. I can't bare to throw all that stuff away because it's all new stuff. I'm crazy, some people say. No I'm not. :)
ReplyDeleteDidn't you read the bit, where I don't like too tall bicylcles, I'd like to live a little longer thank you max :)
ReplyDeletei don't like bikes either. and when i drive, it's possibly that i'm a bit of a risk for them. i don't understand how people wonder about the city with those bikes.
ReplyDeletemotorbikes, on the other hand, are pretty cool. i once dated a guy who had one. it was like being on a rollercoaster every day.