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Wanderlust
There’s something about riding a bike that just seems to encourage exploration.
A couple of years ago, I decided I was bored with my usual recreational rides around Douglas and surrounding counties. I got in a bit of a rut heading out for “my 35-mile ride” or my “50-mile loop.” I had alternatives, depending on road work or, more frequently, the prevailing wind — I prefer to ride out into a headwind and enjoy a tailwind on the return — but there wasn’t a lot of variety.
So I got my hands on a detailed map of Douglas County and fired up Google Maps for out-of-county trips and found a whole bunch of new rides.
I had ridden to Baldwin several times, but added nearby Black Jack.
I had ridden within a few miles of it before, but one ride’s destination was Twin Mound (or Twin Mounds, depending on the map). It wasn’t nearly as picturesque as I had imagined, but I’m 95 percent sure I picked out the mounds.
One ride I took to Jarbalo, just because.
On another, I refueled in the shade of the state’s largest cottonwood. At least, it was until falling victim to a lightning strike earlier that season.
That fall I made a special trip to the seasonally appropriate Fall Leaf.
Some of the rides were thematic: Black Jack to Reno, for instance (I never doubled-down, though), or the Mini-Minnesota ride (touring Lone Star, Clinton, Perry and Lakeview lakes).
Curiously, I’ve never felt the urge to hop in the car to go on similar junkets, though I have made the kids ride along so I could show off, for instance, the buffalo ranch and the train parked in somebody’s front pasture I happened upon during the same exploratory ride.
That same wanderlust extends to my bike commutes.
I’m not sure there’s a street in a mile-wide corridor that stretches from my front door to the News Center downtown that I haven’t ridden at least once.
Though I usually take the most-direct path, occasionally I’ll find myself wondering just where a previously unseen road goes, and before long I find out.
When I’m stuck driving to work, the route rarely varies: get on Sixth; Sixth to New Hampshire; park. Yawn.
But under my own power, I actually enjoy making the commute last just a little bit longer, all in the name of exploration.
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16 November 2009
at 10:15 a.m.
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Irish (Irish Swearingen) says…
I'm with you. What is over that hill or around the bend?
I like your blogs, but they don't seem to get all that many comments.
I mention this because I read the Guardian and the page I am giving you has several blogs on biking and they average about 70 comments each.
Why do you think this is? Why so much more interest in biking among the Guardian readers?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyl…
16 November 2009
at 11:10 a.m.
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gmc219 (Anonymous) says…
I totally agree with you. I think we have some of the best roads to ride on anywhere. I love to ride gravel as well as road and you can just about ride anywhere your heart desires.
16 November 2009
at 3:39 p.m.
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ahartsock (Andrew Hartsock) says…
Irish:
Thanks for reading.
It's probably two things: a lot more eyeballs on the Guardian site, and a lot more of those eyeballs (overall and percentage) belong to cyclists.
Or maybe I'm just not controversial enough.
Andrew
16 November 2009
at 5:07 p.m.
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Irish (Irish Swearingen) says…
8 Nov 2009:
There was a blog about the Brompton Bike.
“Sales of the folding bikes are up more than 25% this year.”
Sample response:
“Having said that, I love it to bits. You can fit the bike between the seats on trains; I even carry it around Sainsbury's in the trolley with my groceries. I think I probably love it as much as my Epiphone semi-acoustic guitar and my Bialetti espresso coffee maker. And that is praise indeed.
The front panier/bag is another miracle. If you order the panier block for the front, the bag just clips onto the front of the bike. I once unclipped the bag and folded up the bike outside M&S on Oxford St and looked up to find a bunch of Italian tourists applauding the design miracle.
That's another thing. The Brompton seems to come with a “talk to me” sign attached.”
Not very controversial.
Have you by chance rode one of these bikes?
Was not meaning to be insulting with my question. I was thinking it had more to do with the Brits having a totally different mindset than we do regarding transportation.
Do you see a time when the bicycles will be the norm?
16 November 2009
at 5:21 p.m.
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ahartsock (Andrew Hartsock) says…
Irish:
I wasn't insulted at all.
The Brits do have a different mind-set, though if you read the blogs/comments, you'll see there still are some of the same issues as here in the colonies.
No, I've not ridden a folder, but I have to admit, I covet, if only for the occasional trip/day trip. They're very purpose-built. For instance, if you need to ride to the train station, you can then fold it, carry it on the train, then unfold it and ride to your final destination.
I'm biased, but I think bikes are the norm now. However, I reckon they'll be the minority for my lifetime, at least.