Reason #161 Why I Belong In The Woods

Because ever since I have moved to downtown Asheville my favorite place to go is riding my bike in a patch of trees a couple blocks away. And I never want to leave.

(These low-fi pics were taken with my cell phone)... xoxo

Get A Bike! Ride the Sidewalk?

Recently I sold my Ford Ranger Truck and got a used bike instead. It was the best decision I have ever made... but at first I was a little worried. Not that I would not have a car for transport but that biking in the mountains of Asheville NC would be really difficult, and I would be a spazz on my bike. Which led to my next concern: the fact that bikers are supposed to ride on the road with speeding cars instead of the sidewalk and that the spazzy drivers might hit me. It seems a little unsafe to treat bikes just like vehicles and require them to hug the sides of busy highways next to a virtually empty (safe) sidewalk. So when a guy in the Co-op grocery told me to ride the sidewalks unless I was right in downtown, you best believe I am doing it (see picture)! This gave me a chance to learn how to ride my bike- how to use the gears, brakes, etc without spilling out onto the street in front a behemoth car going 50 mph. Riding a bike is so easy, anyone living in flat cities should fear not & be on a bike- it brings fun back into traveling. And these here hills aren't so bad to get up and down if you learn how to properly use those 10 speeds sitting on the handle bar. CAUTION: riding in thrift store heals is really hard and may lead to ridiculous laughing spells.

Getting A Used Bike (I Sold My Car)

A few weeks ago I sold my only car, which actually was a Ford Ranger truck that got really good gas mileage. I would love to say the only reason I sold it is because I am a brave environmental crusader- but actually my #1 reason for selling is because I have seizures. Seizures are super bad to drive with, and maybe on par with driving while intoxicated since it's totally dangerous.
Since then I have been on a mission to get myself a bike... 2 times I walked nearly 2 miles to the Recyclery- a rad place where bikes are built and cared for by using all used parts. My first trip they were closed, my second trip I learned they sort of help you put the bike together with you and not for you. As much as I love to learn new skillz, I can not sit in a dark cave full of endless WD40 cans. It smelled like my Cajun crawfish farming Grandpaw's chemical shed...it smelled like a seizure. Disappointed and feeling like the other punks there thought I was a wimpster since they started ignoring me and talking to their other friends, I decided to walk on. Then I found Hearn's Bike Shop! "Possibly the oldest in the US"... impressive. I walked in feeling tired, haggard, rejected and in dire need to find a bike - preferably the purple bike of my dreams.

Immediately I was welcomed by nice relaxed dudes who were so totally helpful, didn't make me feel dumb, and asked me to go down into "the dungeon" to see a bike my size...I think he called it "tween" size. Purple! Used! Perfect! (And no zombies or people chained to the wall down there, just bikes). When we got the bike upstairs though, another worker walks by and says "that one is sold"...ahhhhhh. Broken hearted. He says "I have another in the back of my truck" - which they bring in. PURPLE! USED! PERFECT! Another clunky fulgy purple bike to love (almost as cool as Pee Wee's bike in his Big Adventure, but not really). I got a pink bike helmet and talked about safety things such as shoving my shoe laces into my Ethletic Sneakers. And I was off and feeling pretty cool about my purchase being not only eco friendlier then a car, but also used - I get two green stars for this one! :)