The bicycle is the most civilized conveyance known to man. Other forms of transport grow daily more nightmarish. Only the bicycle remains pure in heart.
Iris Murdoch
Do it for the joy it brings...
Ani DiFranco
...lately the bike’s looking better and better as a primary mode of transportation...since, y’know, though boycotting, fining, and filing charges against British Petroleum are all well and good, it’s not like you’re gonna fill up your tank at the local sustainable free-trade organic gasoline co-op, instead...
...though, as a typical middle class resident of the Western world...green-conscious and countercultural or otherwise...and thereby responsible for a carbon footprint bigger than most third world villages...(even right now, typing this blog post onto my bright computer screen in a well lit room, Los Lobos blaring from i-pod speakers)...can’t say I feel all that comfortable posing on the eco-friendly high horse...or high bicycle...
...of course, there’s exercise...maintaining bodily health, keeping legs toned and muscular, belly somewhat under control...(some might say it'd be less an issue without the post-ride Ben & Jerry’s...but calories don’t count if you bike to the store)...
...then, if not for the yoga thing, my knees would likely have been blown out by now...and that’s not even mentioning detrimental effects of crouching over handlebars, gripping tightly (following, apparently, some atavistic instinct to bare teeth and brace for a fight in the final grueling miles of a ride)....(all in all, really, yoga’s highly complementary to biking, but the other way around, not so much)...(except that it’s exactly those deleterious aspects that helped lead me to yoga in the first place)...
...and, as written about here not long ago, biking, like walking, allows me to think more clearly, aiding in problem solving, helping to keep anxiety and depression at bay...spurring creativity, which, if I really feel like pushing the idea, leads to productivity, and thus, perhaps, to making some kind of contribution to culture and society at large...or something...
...and so, anyway, all kindsa people say good for you when they hear I get around mostly by bike...admiring my selfless forsaking of the gas guzzling comfort, speed, and convenience of internal combustion engines to propel myself where I need to go through grueling hard labor...concern for healthy body, mind, and ecology, apparently, trumping all else...
...and yet, I think, while whooshing along the Schuylkill river path on a bright morning, the lush green of Pennsylvania’s late spring reflected on the water, turtles sunning themselves on rocks, wind tickling whatever hair creeps out from under my helmet...whipping around curves, carefully dodging other bikes, pedestrians, and little families of geese...muscling up hills and floating back down, letting wind and gravity do the rest...faster than walking, but slow enough to absorb surroundings....would it be too hedonistic, amoral, and contrary to any decent work ethic to admit my primary motivation is still what it was when I was a kid cruising the neighborhood on my first three-speed...the sheer pleasure in it?...
Do it for the joy it brings...
Ani DiFranco
...lately the bike’s looking better and better as a primary mode of transportation...since, y’know, though boycotting, fining, and filing charges against British Petroleum are all well and good, it’s not like you’re gonna fill up your tank at the local sustainable free-trade organic gasoline co-op, instead...
...though, as a typical middle class resident of the Western world...green-conscious and countercultural or otherwise...and thereby responsible for a carbon footprint bigger than most third world villages...(even right now, typing this blog post onto my bright computer screen in a well lit room, Los Lobos blaring from i-pod speakers)...can’t say I feel all that comfortable posing on the eco-friendly high horse...or high bicycle...
...of course, there’s exercise...maintaining bodily health, keeping legs toned and muscular, belly somewhat under control...(some might say it'd be less an issue without the post-ride Ben & Jerry’s...but calories don’t count if you bike to the store)...
...then, if not for the yoga thing, my knees would likely have been blown out by now...and that’s not even mentioning detrimental effects of crouching over handlebars, gripping tightly (following, apparently, some atavistic instinct to bare teeth and brace for a fight in the final grueling miles of a ride)....(all in all, really, yoga’s highly complementary to biking, but the other way around, not so much)...(except that it’s exactly those deleterious aspects that helped lead me to yoga in the first place)...
...and, as written about here not long ago, biking, like walking, allows me to think more clearly, aiding in problem solving, helping to keep anxiety and depression at bay...spurring creativity, which, if I really feel like pushing the idea, leads to productivity, and thus, perhaps, to making some kind of contribution to culture and society at large...or something...
...and so, anyway, all kindsa people say good for you when they hear I get around mostly by bike...admiring my selfless forsaking of the gas guzzling comfort, speed, and convenience of internal combustion engines to propel myself where I need to go through grueling hard labor...concern for healthy body, mind, and ecology, apparently, trumping all else...
...and yet, I think, while whooshing along the Schuylkill river path on a bright morning, the lush green of Pennsylvania’s late spring reflected on the water, turtles sunning themselves on rocks, wind tickling whatever hair creeps out from under my helmet...whipping around curves, carefully dodging other bikes, pedestrians, and little families of geese...muscling up hills and floating back down, letting wind and gravity do the rest...faster than walking, but slow enough to absorb surroundings....would it be too hedonistic, amoral, and contrary to any decent work ethic to admit my primary motivation is still what it was when I was a kid cruising the neighborhood on my first three-speed...the sheer pleasure in it?...
*my latest at Elephant Journal, Tough Love*
11 comments:
love this. I love your description of bicycling.
YAY bicycling!!
Well said! I love the feeling of riding down Kelly Dr and taking in all of my senses...ahhh...
my favorite part is the last line biking for "the sheer pleasure in it"...what better motivation than joy that heals body and world!
You know how I like those bike posts, drjay, and this one is lovely. Yeah, there's no downside to the bicycle...good for Earth, good for us and above all, just darn fun.
I love your descriptive ride there...sometimes I feel I know my riding paths better than I know myself. I can recall every stretch...the section with that annoying, yet invisible, rise that forces me to slow and trudge along, head down...as well as the slight downhill, which makes me feel like a much better cyclist than I actually am...then there's the real downhills/uphills, etc. Each and every bike ride is a story in itself... Ha...I know, why not go ramble on my own blog, right? :o)
On your reference to yoga and biking, I found the yoga CDs that I had planned to follow..."Geri Yoga." I had to google and oh my gosh...yoga instruction by Geri Halliwell, a Spice Girl. Holy cow, it's from 2001, I believe, and her instruction got pretty good reviews, but, I don't know...learning yoga from Ginger Spice? Yikes. I know nothing of yoga, so maybe she's good. No, I haven't yet checked out free classes, yet...think I'll give Ginger a try first. :o|
By the way, good for you!
Word verification: irran...no, i rode!
New bike sitting in the garage, waiting for ride #3 tomorrow. Like you said, I love the physical/mental benefits...but, more than that, I love that familiar feeling of wind, speed, connection.
Except it's supposed to rain tomorrow. Drat.
I'm hoping to get a used bike this summer; this post makes me want to get on one asap--it's been far too long.
And in the winter do you bike? That would make you hearty... and my hero! :-) I do not bike ~ old knees that are shot to heck. Still the words of 'for the sheer plasure in it' conjure up a delicious warm memory of youth and the joy of freedom the bike became to so many of us!
I used to bike for HOURS & absolutely loved it. Hubby & I were talking about getting back into it, but I have a balance disorder that's been growing exponentially worse by the month over the past year. It makes me very sad, in all honesty. Realizing that I'd probably never be able to bike again, to swim, etc...I was reduced to tears.
"good for you" : )
sorry, couldn't resist that, since i can't really think of anything else to add to all everyone else has said. I enjoyed reading - and I like the photo of the many baby geese.
I've never understood why people see cycling as a sacrifice. It's FUN! Plus, I don't need to pay for a lousy gym membership. Seems like win all the way to me.
I love bicycling! What a great blog post. I often wish I didn't work 26 miles away from my job that requires tackling the Long Island Expressway.
I would love to bike to work! (reason #967 to find a new job)
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