about getting from point A to point B in the most interesting ways possible

If you're a large woman in America, your whole life is an opportunity to feel self-conscious, embarrassed, resentful and way too big. You can hide in the corner or on the couch, you can go to therapy, or you can put on your lycra bike shorts and get out there and move.
—Jayne Williams, Slow Fat Triathlete

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May 9, 2006

Commuting permalink

Xtracycle, oh, xtracycleIt's been a beautiful couple of days, after a rainy weekend. Yesterday, I went out to the shed to get out my bike and was overcome by how wonderful, huge and stinky my lilac shrubs were. So I did the only reasonable thing: I filled the front basket with lilacs.

There's something especially fun about wearing girly clothing (a dramatic cut-on-the-bias skirt with a frilly frothy chiffon blouse), on a pink bicycle, with a basket of lilacs. I attract a lot of attention just with the bike itself, but I got smiles all around from everyone who looked my way.

...
I've been job hunting and strangely enough, it's been lots of fun. I still am full of the "I'm not worthy!" moments when I'm sending in my resume, but it's been strangely relaxing and enjoyable: talking to new people about their workplaces, etc, etc.

One of the big things that has come up has been the commute. This isn't a surprise, but I am surprised how much it's occupying my thoughts.

One of the jobs I'm most interested in is in Beaverton, and the car commute was a pure drag. It looks like the MAX portion of the commute would be about 35 minutes; I'm about a mile and a half from the MAX station, and then I'd have about 3/4 of a mile at the other end.

So easily, that could be walked. But of course, I'm bike-crazy and so I get caught up in all sorts of silliness.

Like, should I buy a folding bike? Then I could just carry it with me in the train, and bring it in and park it at my desk.

Or should I get an electric bike, that would allow me to bicycle there. It's only 12 miles away. So it would only take maybe a half hour to get out there. Though I have no clue what I'd use for a bike route.

Note to self: do they have bike parking?
...
I went to the local bike cooperative this weekend and enjoyed checking it out. They had an xtracycle there; a free radical attached to an old hybrid bike. I swooned.

My problem is that I want one of everything. But really, I need a garage if I am going to be collecting bicycles. Silly girl.

Posted at May 9, 2006

Comments

I think you need an Xtracycle with a stokemonkey. That's my humble opinion.

And use http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/ for figuring out your route.

Oh, and I should also mention that I went into our local bike store today to ask them if they would put together my Xtracycle when it comes. They had no idea what I was talking about, it was fun. I got to show them the website. They weren't nearly as excited as I thought they should be.

Posted by: cheesepuppet at May 9, 2006 10:12 PM

what a nice picture. All you needed was a wicker basket and a full skirt!

Posted by: Misty at May 12, 2006 7:44 PM

After I'm done with all this edumacation, I'm going to make sure I move someplace where I, too, can commute by bike! Then I'm going to get me a pink bike, too!

Posted by: Jenne at May 15, 2006 10:37 AM