I brought my bicycle with me to DC this summer. Although I haven't ridden it as much as I thought I would (the brutal DC heat scared me away from bike commuting), it has been an amazing asset to me. I love walking, and if I had time, I could and would walk everywhere I needed to go in DC. But, sometimes walking just takes too long. I can cover so much ground on a bike; I feel like I can go anywhere. Ever since my first city biking experience, when I rode down Elm Street in Somerville, MA, I felt like the bike opened doors for me that I hadn't even realized were closed. In DC, I can bike to yoga, or to meet a friend for dinner, or to see the monuments on the mall. It is free and fast and great exercise.
This article about biking in the Netherlands made me smile. It reminded my of my semester in Belgium, where the Belgian students would bike everywhere, even in a rainy country where they were often forced to hold an umbrella over their heads while pedaling down the street. My hope is that I will always live in a place where I can walk, bike, or take public transportation to get around. One day I might have to break down and get a car, but I hope that day is a long way off. It is impossible for me to be angry while I'm biking with the wind in my face. And after a 2.5 mile walk to meet a friend for lunch, my spirits are always high. Driving can be liberating, but it is also isolating. The hustle and bustle of a city is not so intimidating when you are walking or cycling amid the crowd.
No comments:
Post a Comment