I rarely think about the Saturn that is no longer mine, except when I happen to see one in the same green sailing down the road. I've actually only seen her once in the past eight months, despite the fact that her current owner also lives in Long Beach. I was cycling down the road and I happened to look over to the traffic next to me and see a green Saturn that looked especially familiar and, hey, had my old license plate number. The windshield had been replaced so there was no more crack, she was clean, and the driver was singing along to some mariachi music. It made me smile - I found her a good home.
So if anyone's wondering whether I miss having a car - the answer would be no.
Next weekend is the Long Beach Grand Prix, although the "Welcome Race Fans" signs are already up. The Grand Prix is an uttlery ridiculous celebration of the automobile (we can actually hear the race drivers shift gears from our apartment a mile and a half away). Parking is always notoriously terrible. This year, I don't even have to give it a sideways thought.
Riding around on my bike is so completely natural to me now that I would never even think that I couldn't get somewhere on a bike. Amazing how you make that mental shift over time. Anywhere seems reachable on my little two-wheeled "freedom machine" (as it was once referred to by an Amtrak employee).
In fact, I've pedaled over 1700 miles this year alone!
All of this is to say that Russ and I are working on a very exciting project, that I hope to announce shortly. If you couldn't guess, it has to do with the bikes, and riding them, and all that you can do with them, and how great it is to remove yourself from the status quo. Stay tuned.
In the meanwhile, I found this funny photo from many years ago (I was maybe 10?). Looks like cycling and I were meant to be. :)
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