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Wednesday, September 16, 2009

I want to ride my...

BICYCLE! BICYCLE!



Don't worry, I am doing an Inspired By: Queen post soon but this isn't it.

Instead, it's pretty much about my BICYCLE! BICYCLE!

As most of you know, I am one horribly put together lady. Having my feet and ankles broken (on purpose) every year for the first six years of my life and then slammed into casts (not to mention I just realized my Achilles Tendon on both legs has been severed - clues as to why I can't stand on my toes) has rendered me a bit, well, wobbly. My balance is atrocious...can't ice skate because my ankles can't support me, can't stand on one leg, and maybe the reason why I didn't learn how to ride a bike until I was 8 or 9 years old!

Yep, I remember - clearly - the day that the training wheels were taken off - absolutely terrifying but thrilling too. I had come to love riding my bike and my family would often go riding around Pacific Spirit Park and around UBC on Sunday afternoons.

I did a good job of riding too - that is until we came to a stop. The hardest part for me was trying to get back on the bike. It took a few attempts of me constantly bailing to learn I actually must have both feet on the ground while sitting, otherwise I could not balance myself to get back on the bike.

Anyway, I quit bike riding around age 15 and never got back on one until, well, this Summer! I was at the Yacht Club's outstation on Salt Spring Island and decide to just go for it. I found a bike that was low enough and by the end of our stay, I was zipping up and down hills - huzzah for my giant, muscular thighs and ass!



After I got back, I was totally gung-ho about getting a really sweet cruiser bike - unfortunately my lack of funds meant I had to settle for a hand-me down: my mom's bike.

Luckily the bike - Old Bluey as I now call it - could be lowered enough so that I could reach the ground and soon I was zipping around town.

Okay, that's a lie. I zipped around the block - most of the town I now live in is packed with hills and narrow, un-bikefriendly roads. Plus I would have to contend with traffic which frightened me...I'm still not exactly the best rider.

Case in point: on the weekend I road my bike down to see my rents, taking as much of the backroads as possible. The jaunt was only 15 minutes but I immdiately ran into trouble.

You see - as I mentioned before - I have bad balance. BAD BALANCE.

And generally when you are riding around the streets, amongst other cars, you need to use hand signals.

Well, I knew what the hand signals were....which is good. But the execution was poorly done.

I came up to a quiet intersection with a car pulled up beside me (realizing at this moment I need a rear view mirror on my handle bars). I wanted to turn left at the corner.

So I took my left arm off the handlbar (and the kung fu grip I had on it) and lifted my left arm.

CRASH.

Yep. Without that arm supporting me I immediately keeled over and onto the pavement.

Luckily I managed to half stay on the bike and wasn't in any danger but when the people came running out of their car because they thought they HIT ME, I wanted to die of embarassment.

"I'm sorry, I'm just learning to ride...yes, I am 27 years old."

A few blocks later, stil shaken, I decided to try out the hand signals without anyone around me. I gingerly lifted my left arm - started to tilt that way - overcompensated by leaning to the right and...

CRASH.

Now bailed on the right side.

EPIC FAIL.

Does anyone know if you can buy blinkers for your bike? From now on I'm just gonna shake my head in the direction I want to go...


Bike riding outfit essentials:

Helmet (in garage still - yes I wear one when I ride. I should actually wear a helmet TWENTY FOUR HOURS A DAY). It's a moto helmet I think, I think I look less dorky in it than a regular helmet but my mom said I still look dorky, just now like Nazi dork

Cross-strap bag: Not a fan of these bags but this one I picked up in Spain a few years ago is perfect for bike riding

Aldo Leggings: So they don't get stuck on the spokes

Tory Burch Reva Flats: these one have a grippy rubber sole

Forever 21 Dress: comfy

Express Jacket: not as obvious as my motorcycle jacket











*CRASH*


PS Anyone have any ideas on how to make my bikeriding a little easier? Cool gadgets? A basket? Portable stereo so I can play Queen?

So far, I am saving up for this helmet, the Tokyo version by Yakkay:

19 comments:

Couture Carrie said...

You are adorable, darling!
Love your bike riding garb and that fab handbag!

xoxox,
CC

Rachel said...

i don't know if they ship over to canada, but

http://www.dutchie.co.uk/

is by far my favourite bike place.. my bike is from there, my panniers are from there, and i've got my eye on one of the baskets.

cycling is the best thing EVER! for style AND for fitness! (and of course, saving the world) yay you! :)

Eyeliah said...

Sorry it is such a pain to relearn! There needs to be blinkers so you don't have to hand signal and then you'll be alright. And your outfit is cute too ;-) I just started biking again, went around the seawall on the weekend.

Kass said...

You should so get a basket for your bike, then you dont need to have a cross-strap bag, and you can kit it out to look awesome :) You could even have a mini radio in there :)

pretty*pink*rat said...

I ride my bike to class two times a week, more if I can! So good for you and less money on gas!

And that helmet is so cute! I've never seen anything like it!

If I think of anything to help out the balance/signaling I'll let you know!!

Annie Spandex said...

OMG, you are the cutest thing ever! X)

myedit said...

Ok, your story anbout grape picking and now this bike riding adventure had me laughing very loudly.
You look cute riding the blue beast, just please be careful:)

Zara said...

Eek :( Your poor feet and ankles have been through a lot! I think you actually can get indicators for bikes actually, haha. Although I guess they only work at night time. Why not just stick to riding around parks or something and skip the issue of cars and signalling altogether? :)

Love the studded bag, by the way!

xoxo

MS said...

Ouch!

I love biking, but not falling.

Love the denim jacket. I want one for the fall.

Verdigris Vie said...

You are the most stylin' biker..:-) i have seen in a long time..

Love the shades and the bag

Anonymous said...

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who wants to learn to ride a bike at a mature age. I haven't been on one since I was a kid. I'm now 36 and have decided I want to learn to ride. Trust me, no matter how you think you look on a bike - I will look ten times worse - at least you will always be wearing a gorgeous outfit. Good luck and well done on being so brave.

Anonymous said...

Ha Ha I'm sorry I had to laugh because it is mildly funny and I can laugh because I am a horrid horrid bike rider and I don't actually have a reason. I hate to bike ride! I actually prefer to roller blade because I am so terrible at riding a bike. Last time I went with my girlfriend for some ice cream I ended up eatting it into the bushes around one turn because I got too close to the edge of the bike path. I'm basically thee most un-coordinated person ever. KUDOS to you for trying. AND there is a girl at my work who rides her bike to work everyday RAIN OR SHINE and that thing is seriously tricked out. I mean she has it rigged. It has a huge boom box, speakers, a headlights, a storage box, blinking spiders spokes. Its insane. I'll take a picture for you. LOVE THE FLATS DOLL!

xoxo
J

www.talkprettytome.blogspot.com

P.S. I'M DOING A GIVEAWAY ON MY BLOG

Dane said...

You are too cute! I love my bike and am still looking for a basket to put on the front of it but my boyfriend says its gonna look stupid since its a mountainbike.. but a girl can dream, no?



www.trustme-itsparadise.blogspot.com

pretty*pink*rat said...

Not sure if you read Divine Caroline, but today her FoundIt LovedIt newsletter had this awesome site about cute bags for your bike, and I thought of you!

Enjoy!

http://www.bikemania.biz/SearchResults.asp?Search=po+campo&Search.x=0&Search.y=0

BonBon Rose Girls Kristin said...

I'm the worst at riding a bike. Not sure why that is. Bummer. Can't wait to rock my clutch with my 80s ensemble btw!

daisychain said...

Oh man I need to fix my bike up.

I do believe that one summer I had over 40 crashes on my bike (my friend kept a tally!)

Unknown said...

so cute!!! i haven't ridden a bike since grade school.... i think i'm too clumsy to ride.. haha

Amber said...

As someone who once fell off her bike twice within the space of about twenty seconds, because she failed to understand that stopping on a hill where her feet couldn't touch the ground was NOT A GOOD IDEA, I sympathise. And I was an adult at the time, too. I also looked like a complete fool, in a stupid padded jacket and my oldest jeans, so Im totally in awe of you for managing to look so good on a bike!

♥ Marta ♥ said...

You're such a cutie... reading your posts always bring a smile to my face :)

I love biking...through parks, but too terrified to do it on the road. As a driver,I've noticed the many of the cyclists tend to be very careless and do not pay attention on the roads... please be careful :) Also, I hate when cyclists hold on to your car, when you're driving... happened to me and I totally freaked out. I checked my blind spot and saw a guy holding on to the back door handle as I was going 50 down the street.So I slowly slowed down( so he wouldn't fall) and politely asked him to let go.

Enjoy cycling but be careful :)

Looking stunning, as always!