The quote in this title is from the above book and makes my feel envious. I still want to experience this.
Nine days ago I "broke down" and bought a car. I had been contemplating doing so for about a month. I've realized I'm not really saving money, or much at least, and I'm imposing on my friends and girlfriend for rides and car borrowing more than I'd like. I also was not doing things because of the 'hassle' of getting there. While the 'not doing things' has its appeal - as I am a person who tends to overbook - it also had its drawbacks in preventing us from taking friends up on invites to fun experiences too. So when a friend approached me with a deal I couldn't refuse... Well, I didn't refuse.
Now I own a car and have fallen into the pit of exactly what I was afraid would happen. We've biked a total of once since I bought it. Now I've had good excuses... It's been horribly rainy; my sister is in town; we went on vacation... But still! Really?! I've offered friends to borrow it anytime, even for a few days. So far I've been taken up on it twice. Maybe with increasing this I will get back to riding more.
I'm also in the bicycle-mode dilemma right now, which isn't helping my excuses. Now that X's leg is healed, and R is older, I don't really need the cargo bike and it feels like too much bike. I tried borrowing a friend's trailer, and I just really don't like it. We are back to using the tagalong, but after our fall, I'm not trusting it as much and just feel too disconnected from my kiddo back there. So I'm in the market again for a new bike setup too. Looking for a solution where they are close to me, and preferably in front. I love having X help pedal, but it isn't a requirement. I am debating between a workcycle mid tail with optional front seat, an extracycle, or a kidztandem. Any suggestions?! Pros/cons? Need to take moderate cargo with, but not always. Most of the time just a backpack for each of us. I wish a mid tail could use an optional cargo trailer, but it sounds like their rear racks are too specialized to make this work.
So I keep searching. In the meantime, I am back to some car reliance, and still dreaming of a bicycle focused place like Denmark or Amsterdam. Where people don't act like you are crazy or a bad parent for not owning a car. An where it is normal to have kids on your bike with you.
Reading this book is just feeding that dream... I didn't make my one year car-free goal, but maybe I will find another way some day.
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