I’ve been riding my bike all over town, running errands, and I’ve learned a few things.

1) There is no convenient way to get to the only grocery store in town. To get there, I have to ride three blocks in the opposite direction, backtrack back to the main road, cross the main road, drive through three parking lots and TA-DAH! I’m there. It’s really a pain. I’ve decided to go to the next city council meeting and ask about the possibility of putting a sidewalk on the main road through town.

2) Crossing the main road is a major pain in the patootie. And people are jerks. I wait. And wait. And wait. The cars come past at a steady pace, and no one slows down or stops to let me cross the road. No one speeds up, either, to give me a wider gap to cross. So I wait. And wait. Last time, I had to wait no less than five minutes each time I crossed the road. And this is not some big huge town with a traffic problem. In fact, we live in a town with only one stoplight in it.

3) It doesn’t matter if you are walking or on your bike, people are STILL inconsiderate. Today, the kids and I were out walking to a few garage sales, because it is citywide garage sale day. It started raining pretty good while we were out. So there I am, walking down the road with two kids, getting soaked, and people in their nice dry cars are forcing me off the road. Thanks a lot, jerks! 

4) I have no idea where to park my bike most places I go. We have a gorgeous town square, with wide brick-paved lanes and old buildings. Each sidewalk is painted with the words, “Do not ride bikes on sidewalk.” (a fact which Ryan didn’t notice until I told him…after he’d ridden on them three days in a row.) So when I go to pay bills at the city hall or our car insurance office, I’m stuck trying to figure out where to park. Do I haul it up the steps to the sidewalk, where I’m not supposed to be? Or do I park in a parking spot, and risk having some inattentive driver on a cell phone smash my bike? I’m still totally stumped on this one.