The pretty holiday lights are long gone -- but the cold remains. Ahhh winter.
This month my chilly thoughts have turned to bicycles and social revolution. Between rainstorms we can still cycle, despite the frost and fog. And the more of us who ride our bikes to the corner store, the sooner we can start a revolution away from oversized autos and from what I call the "One Syndrome." One person, one mile, one auto. Even worse is if the one-mile trip is to the gym, where we pay money to pump our legs indoors.
But I'm just ranting now.
Anyway, about bikes. I'm hoping I'm riding a trend. Last year outdoor bike coffee bars popped up in New York, including Rapha's (closed during winter --the snow thing). Every Wednesday evening Rapha's showed classic cycling movies. Around the world there is even more bike action; some even say it's a global trend for 2011.....http://popupcity.net/2011/01/trend-7-the-reinvention-of-the-wheel/
Another cool development is that folding bikes are finally becoming mainstream. Years back Hubby and I bought red folding bikes on eBay. They were for weekend jaunts because they fit so nicely in a car trunk or in a small plane. Of course they look foolish with their tiny wheels, so we fondly call them our "clown bikes." Those little bikes have had some adventures, chained outside pubs and diners all over the West. Now folding bikes are cheaper, less than $200, and they come in cloth packs you can carry over your shoulder. Very smart, really. Citizen Bikes are a good example.....http://www.citizenbike.com/about.asp
So bikes are making me hopeful about the New Year. As the politicos fight in the background -- in the foreground we can save gas and keep our healthcare costs down, just by cycling around. And if your bikes are as goofy looking as mine, you'll also have plenty of change to smile at curious passers-by. Smiles are nice in the cold.
cheers, Joan
