It has been over a month. Six weeks ago I totaled my car and was probably a little more sad about it than I should have been. I loved my little orange corolla. I know it wasn’t a BMW or an Audi, but it was my little car and I was proud of it. To me, it was like a small symbol that I was doing okay. I was “adulting” well. But hey… it’s gone. So, what’s next?
We both live within biking distance of work. I am walking distance! We do not have children. My job has work vehicles for work-related tasks. It all seems REALLY lucky and maybe the only time all the stars will align to make living with one car even a possibility. So, here we go!!!!
My new normal: I walk and bike most places on most days with the exception of grocery shopping, getting to photography shoots, or most trips over 3 miles one way (which are way fewer than you’d think). Let me go ahead an answer the questions I get the most:
- Yup, sometimes I get somewhere and I am sweaty. Red faced and sweaty. Nobody has complained about a smell…yet. I carry a microfiber towel basically everywhere I go now.
- It does not take hardly any additional time for any trip under about 2.5 miles. That means I get to be MORE active every day with no additional time added to my schedule.
- I wear shorts under my dress. Otherwise I would flash people and probably die a slow and painful death due to my thighs just falling off.
- I bike with traffic in the road whenever possible. I feel safer there versus the sidewalk 90% of the time. It is much less bumpy on the road as well which is really great on your… well, on everything.
- It is very unlikely I will bike when it rains. I feel like the risk of an accident is too great.
I’ve been teased about my old bike and my (awesome) helmet. But, my 44 year-old bike is unlikely to get stolen and my helmet is not only cool looking, it helps me be more visible and it keeps my brains inside which is always a nice feature. By the way, my bicycle’s name is Chiquita Dole. Get it??
I’m sticking with my current set up for now. My only wish is to add some sort of basket on the back of my bicycle which has proven difficult since it is older, it is made a little differently than models today.
Let’s see how this little experiment goes! I am going to be tracking my miles, sharing useful tips as I get use to getting around Lexington on a bike, and of course lots of goofy selfies in my awesome helmet. The worst thing that could happen is I give up and get a car. But, maybe instead I find a new way to get some healthy activity packed in to my crazy schedule and have fun while I am at it!
Google how far you live from work or somewhere else you go most days. Is it as far away as you thought it was?