Back in the Saddle

So today marks the one-week anniversary of me getting back to riding a real bike and I feel like a completely new person. See, I did a number on my left knee back in January and have just managed to get it back into bike-riding condition. In the meantime, I've been stuck with walking, public transit, and cars to get where I need to go. Don't get me wrong, walking and the Skytrain are great ways to get around in their own right, and cars can be convenient when you need to get somewhere fast, but when it comes to getting where you need to go in the city in the fastest and most enjoyable way possible, nothing can compete with bikes (unless you're headed downhill of course, in which case a skateboard is THE ultimate supreme device of utmost beauty).

Now, I do enjoy walking around, especially for errands like grocery shopping or going to the bank... you can interact with members of the populace and get a closer and more relaxed perspective on your surroundings (ie. no need to be vigilant about the dreaded Door Prize), but speed can be an issue when you're heading out of your immediate neighbourhood. Public transit can be great if you're sticking close to the Skytrain line or are just off a bus route, but once you cross into the realm of transferring from one to the other, you've got to have your timing spot-on or you're looking at some serious standing around. Try this one sometime: race one of your friends from Granville and Georgia to Ambleside Park, you on your bike and them on the Skytrain/Seabus/bus combo. Remember to bring an extra beer or two to enjoy on the beach while you're waiting for him to show up. And cars? Yeah, I own one and I probably always will. Cars are fast and carry lots of people and gear and are next to indispensible for things like moving, getting your band's gear around, heading out of town on camping trips, or getting yourself to physio when you can barely walk, but using them for regular jaunts around the city? Boooo. Sitting in traffic is boring and gas is getting more expensive by the day. There's also the obvious environmental issue... when you drive you're basically giving everyone on the planet (except oil companies) the finger, especially those who haven't been born yet.

But blah blah blah. The point is that I get to ride my bike again and I love it. In fact, I think most of us here at BR are down with bikes. Whether I'm cutting a swath through the Georgia Street rush hour gridlock leading into Stanley Park or going for a mellow cruise along the south coast of English Bay, I'm rarely happier than when I'm riding my bike.