Biking

Ever since we moved here, I've debated back and forth about getting a bike for myself. Everyone here rides bikes, it's very biker friendly, and they're pretty useful, especially with a bike trailer for the kids. Buuuut... I haven't ridden a bike in 15 or so years, and honestly the idea was a little intimidating to me. Add that to the fact that we've been on a pretty strict budget, and I know nothing about bikes, and I just haven't gotten around to it. Since we've moved to the new apartment though, we're about twice as far from the large grocery store, and the big, nice playground that was so close to our other apartment. There also are a lot of places I'd like to go in the vicinity of our town, but they're too far to walk, and to close to take public transportation to (i.e.. public transportation does not go there without going into the city first).

Finally, last week I broke down and bought a used bike off of a local website. I had no idea what I was getting into! The first time I tried to ride it I promptly fell off, and David burst into tears he was so worried for me. The first couple times I rode it, it hurt my butt so bad I wasn't sure bike riding was going to be for me. And if those things were deterring enough, I seem to be constantly breaking things/using them incorrectly. It took some real getting used to, but now, a week  later, I'm feeling pretty comfortable with it. It's kind of like, well, like riding a bike!

After a few days of trying to get out a re-accustom myself to bike riding while Dylan watched the boys, I realized that I wasn't going to get in much riding if I couldn't take them with me. So, I ordered a bike trailer off the internet. I expected it to take 3-4 days to get here, and I didn't get an email stating it had been shipped, so I didn't stay home waiting for the package. The next day I had a notice in my mailbox that the package was waiting for me at the post office. Great...How do you a get a bike trailer home from the post office (about a mile away) when you have no car to put it in? To me the answer is obvious, you push it home, it has wheels after all. The problem with this? Well, obviously they don't come assembled. So what did I do? That's right, I assembled my new bike trailer at the post office (well outside, thank goodness it's summer!) with David on my back in a carrier and James "helping" me along. Good thing it was an easy assembly! The clerk at the post office looked at me like I was completely nuts when I told her that's what I was going to do, but whatever, it all worked out, and I'm now a proud owner of a bike and a bike trailer! I took the boys up to the big grocery store this morning, and a great time was had by all (I only fell off the bike once! pulling the trailer takes a little getting used to...)!

I'm pretty sure (if I accurately understood what our landlady told me in German) that Dylan will be getting a bike soon as well, and then we can all go for some family bike trips!