Bicycle or Bust!

Ever since moving back from London, I have been craving to live a more "pedestrian" lifestyle.  I MISS walking everywhere, using the bus, the tube and even "renting" bikes (within central London, Barclays bank sponsors hundreds of bikes you can rent for 24 hours using a credit card, but there is in actuality no charge)!  Despite the fact that I lost 20lbs living that way, I FELT better and loved being able to see the city I lived in.  It helped me feel connected to the earth, other people and my environment.  When I moved back to Austin two months ago, I immediately started driving everywhere.  Yes, it was nice to zip around again and see my out of town friends, but I quickly started missing my mobile ways.

Austin has very little in the way of public transportation and although it is more than ever a biking city (thanks Lance!), it's infrastructure leaves a lot to be desired for easy of getting around via a bike.  Despite all this though, including the hot Fall and continuing drought, I have decided to dive right in and buy a bike again!  I started having romantic visions of riding around town in a cute and functional bike like the people of Amsterdam, Paris and other Europeans.  Could I find a bike like that here?

I have limited bike experience:  yes, I rode one as a kid, but other than that I have little in the way of bike knowledge or adventures.  I did have two moments in my adulthood where I got excited about the idea of riding a bike (once in college and again when I briefly dabbled with the idea of racing triathlons) but both of those experiences ended in wasted money and deflated dreams.  It just wasn't FUN like I thought it would be.

I want to use a bike for transportation, I want to connect to my environment and I want to experience the JOY of riding a bicycle again, which I have only ever experienced as a kid!  Stay tuned.....