In August I finally decided to make a big move and buy an ebike. I'd done lots of reserach, visted bike shops, checked out 2nd hand bikes, talked to repairman to get their advice, all the things. I did it all.
I decided to buy a new bike even though there were plenty of used ones online. With all of my research, I learned what I wanted and what I thought was important to me or at least I did the best I could without having a bike in front of me. There are many, many brands of ebikes and I decided to go with a newer brand whose pricing reflected a strong entrance into the market.
The box arrived on my porch August 3rd, I was super excited and of course was tracking it all along the way until it showed up.
The bike I chose was decked out with fenders, a headlight, a back rack, a throttle, hydraulic brakes, suspension (for my rear end and poor hygiene body), and an LED screen, blinkers and a brake light. It required a little bit of assembly, my husband and son Cade helped me put it together. My bike was also heavy and I'll say it was a pretty intimidating after it was assembled. I stood back and looked at it and was a little fearful to ride it. It was heavy and beastly.
I started out riding in my neighborhood and my friend Cynthia and I would meet up and ride. Cynthia is the one who talked me into getting an ebike, she wanted a riding partner. We rode through my neighborhood many times and after a few rides we decided to venture out on some trails and then outside my neighborhood. Cynthia ended up having some long term family obligations and that left me alone, riding by myself. I decided I'd rather ride alone vs not at all. I ventured far outside my neighborhood, seeing areas in my community I'd never been to or did not even know existed in my 25 years in my house. As the sun started setting earlier and summer was coming to an end, I deciced I wanted to ride at dusk and after the sun went down. To do this required different gear, namely reflective wear and lights. So I bought reflective gear and lights. Then I decided I wanted to make grocery store runs and post office drop-offs. So I bought a basket and then eventually a front basket for me to put all of my treasures in. And you can't leave your bike unlocked outside the store, so I bought a lock. I was using an old helmet from a previous bike that had been knocked around in my garage and had seen better days. If I was going to do this much riding, I only have one head LOL and decided I'd better invest in a good helmet. And while investing in a good helmet, I decided to increase my visibility with a bright yellow/green jacket for day time and a 100% high-vis jacket for night.
Today is Oct 5th and as I was considering writing about my bike and what it has brought to me, I had a lot of thoughts that I wanted to share.
I was skeptical at first of even getting a bike and I didn't want it to be just another thing that collects dust in my garage, an expensive piece of equipment stamped with "someday" on it. As I write this, I am happy to say I have put 839 miles on it, and have 75 hours of riding time. I have ridden all over the Seattle area on my bike who I have named Esmeralda.
What has Esmeralda brought to me aside from the cool air blowing in my hair, curiosities satisfied, exercise and passion?
I have reacquainted and made new friendships as I invite friends, old and new to blow the dust off of their bikes and come ride with me.
As I've accumulated accessories for Esmeralda, I've needed to clear out space in my garage so that I could store and find what I needed for my rides. This is one benefit I hadn't thought about. Off to Goodwill I went, dropping off bags of stuff to make room for my new hobby.
Just like we only have so much space in our house or garage, we only have so much time. Life can be hum-drum with boring or old habits. Incorporating something new means getting rid of something old and it brings back the life in our life.
When we find new hobbies, we get to learn new routines which rewire our brain. I keep all of my accessories in a special place in my garage and I grab what I need before I leave. I don't carry everything with me because its too heavy. I've changed my pre/post riding routines up quite a bit as I've gone along with where and how I store things.
Learning how to ride safely on the road and choosing to ride in a way that is predictable to those we share the road with has been essential. This requires planning ahead as you approach an intersection or even researching routes and maps before you head out. Learning how to ride safely rewires our brain.
While I'm not a big shopper, I do love looking at bike accessories and it's been fun researching and picking out what I want. I love to go into bike stores to look around or order online. Everybody loves the anticipation of something showing up in the mail or on their porch.
A friend of mine is a diver and he said there's a whole new world underwater. I feel the same on my bike. I said earlier, I've found new things and places I didn't know existed, all in my neighborhood of 25 years. I thought I'd seen it all, but I had not.
Esmeralda is great exercise! I can feel myself get stronger and love a good workout. Exercise we know clears the mind, improves our mood and mental health. It grounds us and helps keep things in perspective.
While the weather is changing, I am making plans for spring and summer. I've talked a few friends into getting e-bikes and I'm so excited for our riding time together in the upcoming seasons. I have gained a sense of confidence in the new skills that I've acquired and the new perspective that I have when I ride.
I have been online to find riding groups and clubs and have found one club in particular that I think will be a good fit. One club in particular has 9,500 members and I think my chances of finding a few new friends is excellent. They offer classes on safety, how to repair and maintainance, as well as riding groups.
My picture that I've chosen for this post is from this past weekend where my friend Cynthia and I rode from Bellevue to Seattle via the I-90 bridge across Lake Washington and Mercer Island. I've always seen people riding the bridge on their bikes and have always wanted to do it, it was on my bucket list. Having completed this gives me a sense of accomplishement with vigor and fuel for my next riding adventure.
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