The Virgin Bicycle Diaries

Provocative huh??  What? What is this gal doing for all that is holy?

Let's start with a flashback...

Late 70's-80's (that's in the 1900's)

I'm cruising with my navy blue banana bike, basket and Donald Duck bell. Cruising along the TCH (Trans Canada Highway) where I mostly rode my bike.  Now before panic ensues it was in Little Rapids, NL.  Population 100. Traffic was spotty at best but I do admit to playing chicken with a 18 wheeler more than once (DO NOT do this kids, you will lose).  Some boys took my bike, did some jumps and broke the frame.  Fast forward and a light blue 10 speed came into the picture, but at 15, I abandoned the bike.  It involved biking, spotting a cute boy and a curb... But I digress.

Fast Forward to 2013

I decided I wanted to bike.  Why? Because I want a motorcycle. If I can't hold up a bike, chances are good I am going to be crushed when I am driving a motorcycle.  So I send out a plea to twitter and houseofpickles (if you live on twitter you get it) had a spare bike in her basement. Off I went, picked up the bike and brought it home.  After some hard work and some bright pink sparkly tassels I was ridin'.

Tassels!!

First Bike ride in 25 years

With the exception of the 4 year old who brazenly cut me off and the devious parked car, I survived.  Honestly, it's not like riding a bike - they're damned liars. There are roads and cars and other cyclists and children running hither and yon!  But yet I tried again.

The next evolution of cycling as we know it....

I never said I was rational so one day on the Link bus to work I decided to rent a bike at lunch and take it for a spin on the waterfront.  I booked it, had my flats on and off I went.  Wait - there's more to the story.  The lovely lady at I Heart Bikes Halifax mentioned tracks on Marginal Road, I listened intently and felt OK that I could handle it.  Now... off I went, in a skirt (oh shush I know what I am doing).

Waterfront biking is excellent, I dodged people, rang my bell and pedalled away.  I was awesome!  Here's the train tracks... Cross at 90 degrees - yup.  Wait, I'm too far in the road, turn back and...

Ma'am, are you ok? 
Oh yes, I am fine.
You went over the handle bars.
Yes, I did.
In a skirt.
Well yes.
It was awesome!
Why thank you.

Exerpt from conversation with a man in a Ford Escape on Marginal Road.

Yes, the picture is a live tweet right after I dropped the bike back to the shop, after I got back on and biked back. The folks at I Heart Bikes were great - worried about me, but great.

Two weeks later.

 

What to do, what to do.  I hash tagged (#) it #biketragedy2013.  Concern was swift and supportive.  Was biking now out of the question?

 

Nope...  I took a class with my pal Krista Spurr (krisp131) at the Oval and learned things like arm gestures (no, not those ones - I have a PHD in those).

 

Saucy Biking Minx

 

A couple things stick out. 

 

Confidence - be one with the bike

Right Bike - get a bike that suits your biking purpose

Always have sparkly tassels - to look cool

 

I'm still biking.  The confidence is coming, I won't be biking downtown Halifax anytime soon though.

 

Cheers,

Lori

 

PS, If you visit Halifax and want a great way to get about, check out IHeartBikes.  Seriously, I love them and the bikes are awesome!  They provided the fabulous blue bike in the Saucy Minx picture for my bike class,