Thursday, June 08, 2017

a habit shift


We spent yesterday cleaning out our garage and shed. Why we chose to do that when it was 107 degrees outside, I don't know. But when the urge to purge hits, you have to follow through. That's what I've learned, anyway.

Our goal was to make room in the garage for our bikes. Because all of a sudden it feels like we have a million bikes!

Another thing I love about Mike is that when he decides to do something, HE DOES IT. An example: We have decided that if possible, we will ride our bikes instead of driving our car. Luckily we live where it is very flat (it's not called Mesa for nothing), and most of our life happens within a very small radius of our home. This is something I happily support. But Mike didn't stop there. No, he went above and beyond, like he always does, and found us electric bikes!

Oh man, they are a major game changer. Once you start pedaling, the little electric motor kicks in to assist. Every bike ride becomes a leisurely bike ride, even though you are zooming down the road. (Since our children don't have electric bikes, we kept our old bikes for family bike rides. Thus, the million bikes now crowding our garage.) The electric bikes make his commute to work and school, date night, and trips to the store so much more fun.

Sometimes it is hard to shift our habits. It takes effort to think about jumping on my bike to run an errand instead of jumping in the car. It takes some planning, too. That quick trip to the store might not happen, but maybe that's ok? Maybe it can wait. And sometimes habit shifts require going against the norm a little bit. My gut tells me that this shift is a good one, odd as it may seem to others. I've noticed that when I get home from a trip on my bike, I am happy. There is something light and peaceful and quiet about it. I am glad that Mike pushed it, and that it fits into our life easily.

(We got Juiced bikes and love them.)

5 comments:

  1. You are good citizens of the world! And I always feel like I see new things when I'm riding my bike that I miss when I'm driving.

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  2. My husband would be cheering reading this because he thinks everyone should ride bikes as much as possible. I think if I had one that could fit all my kids in it, I would! Like the Dutch. Sadly my trailer only fits two kids...
    I do have to say that I have been hit on my bike when I was riding a few blocks from my house in a quiet, residential area, and I was fully in the bike lane. The car was pulling out of a parking lot, but he was texting and driving (which is against the law here), and didn't see me. I am still healing from injuries, I tore my rotator cuff, bruised multiple bones, and got scraped up pretty badly. My head was 100% injury free because I was wearing a helmet! I have to get a new helmet because it got slammed, but it did its job, and absorbed the crash, leaving my head the only injury free place on my body!

    The car was a little toyota, and like I said- not going very fast, and yet a month later I am still healing. I shudder to think what would have happened to me if the car had been going faster or if it had been a big truck.

    With that being said, my bike has been repaired with a good portion of replaced parts, a new helmet bought, and my trailer replaced! And with a little bit of literal PTSD from being hit, I am hoping to get back on my bike again this week. I don't think I will be able to ride on that street for a good while, though.

    Morals of the story:
    1. Don't text and drive.
    2. Wear a HELMET even if you are on quiet, residential streets!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for your comment, Jill! We wear helmets, but not usually when we are just in our little, quiet neighborhood. Changing that right now. I am so glad you were wearing yours when you were hit!

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  3. I didn't even know there was a such thing as an electric bicycle. Any chance you could include a link? thanks.

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    Replies
    1. We got Juiced Bikes, the Ocean Current. Highly recommend them. Here's a link: http://www.juicedbikes.com

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