Now where was I?
Sunday morning I awoke with unparalleled excitement. Today was the day I would finally buy myself a bicycle! It was almost as though Christmas had come early this year (though I guess this wasn't completely analogous to Christmas since Santa doesn't exactly give presents to himself...). Cousin and mother in tow, I eagerly walked over to Adeline Adeline, where the first thing I saw upon entering the store was this handsome specimen in black. I took it out around the block for a test ride, and it was just bliss. There was something about the cool step-through frame and comfy leather seat and deliciously upright steering that was so incredibly...right. I can't describe it, it was too novel a feeling.The only downside was that I had fallen in love with the cream color, and the store only carried the Dutchi in black. Luckily we ended up walking over to Bicycle Habitat later that day where not only did they have my baby in cream, but they assembled it right before my very eyes. It was nothing short of magical. In fact, I actually squealed when the bike shop dude wheeled out the finished product to me, grinning in amusement. He also had a Jamaican accent, which automatically made him about five times cooler I suppose. Long story short, I paid for my Dutchi, a helmet and a super-sturdy lock and walked out of the store to begin my new life on wheels.
Monday morning I awoke again with unparalleled excitement, this time to attempt my first bike ride to work. I reasoned that although temps were supposed to remain in the stifling 90s, if I gave myself enough time I would arrive at the office with the lightest blanket of sweat, at most. At most! I even took the initiative to map out a route that would be both safe and time-efficient. But, of course, my plans fell through and I ended up having to ditch the aforementioned route in favor of more familiar grounds (thanks to numerous runs up and down its path). Took the West Side Highway all the way up to 28th St. and crossed over the many blocks to 7th Avenue. By the time I locked up my bike (and spent about five minutes walking around it, worrying that someone would steal it anyways), I was literally dripping from head to toe. I kid you not, it wasn't pretty. With my shirt permanently glued to my back and my face shining with joy/exhaustion, I finally arrived at the office looking like I had just gone through a war zone. A really hot and humid one. Maybe 'nam.
Gripes and exaggerations aside, I really believe that my life will be very different from now on. There's something so inexplicably cool about zipping to and from the grocery store in no time at all, and looking kind of cute while you're at it (ironically enough, it was exactly one year ago that I had thought about doing this!). And nothing quite compares to tearing down the Brooklyn Bridge at breakneck speeds, though I'm sure I need to tone it down a little since my bike is still only a single-speed. Best of all, it makes me so darn happy. My new happy-making machine must be contagious, as three completely different people on the street wished me a nice day on my ride to lunch yesterday. I happily suggested that they buy bikes too.
