1. Riding in a big city is actually fun. I was definitely cautious to begin with, and still am, but I enjoy the ride to school or other places.
2. Having a horn blown at you is a loving thing, not rude. When we first started riding having the horn blown ALL the time bothered me a little because I didn't know the flow of things. Now I know that people use their horns out of necessity and they really don't want to run over. They are actually conscious of other drivers, walkers, etc. I haven't started using my horn yet but I have a feeling I will be soon.
3. Always wear your mask, no matter the pollution level. It is nice to enjoy fresh air, when there is some, but riding through the city is just kind of nasty with exhaust, pollution, other smells I will not indulge you in, and these weird white things that float through our city. I'm told they are some sort of flower. Honestly it looks like a factory that makes stuffed animals exploded and this stuff just flies through the air. Our friend said one day is was so bad it looked like it was snowing outside and the ground was white.
4. Most drivers actually follow the rules of no cars in the bike lane. Of course the massive city buses use the bike lane to let riders on and off, so you have to make sure you don't hit a rider as they are stepping off the bus :) Some drivers think the bike lane is optional for them to drive in.
5. Watch cars turning right! There is no right on red AFTER you stop. It is just keep going right no matter what the light says, so always looks.
6. You can fit a bike through some really tight spaces. I hadn't rode a bike in years and was nervous about riding through the cones and tiny gates here but a bike can fight some really tight spots.
*** I composed this post a while back so here are a few updates on riding in the city since we started several months ago.
1. If you hear someone clear their throat really loudly, look! You don't want to be hit by flying spit. (Hasn't happened yet thankfully!)
2. Be wary of men riding with their fishing poles. The wind blows strong here at times and those weights and hooks fly with the wind.
3. There are a few people we will regularly on our rides to and from school. One sweet scene I delight to see is an older man, probably in his 70s, pedaling his bike with his granddaughter in the back. The granddaughter is always asleep. I think it is so sweet to see this man working so hard to love his granddaughter.
I'm sure there are more things I can't remember now so there will be more riding adventure updates at another time. For now I'm thankful for His grace and protection as we ride each day. It may be polluted, hot, or rainy but I always enjoy the ride and it is a good time to see the people of this city and intercede for them.
This picture is from the spring. This is still what I look like most days, except right now no heavy coat. Mask, helmet, and sunglasses even if it's rainy or cloudy to keep all the dirt out of my eyes. Tim looks much more awesome on his mountain bike. I will have to post a picture of him next.
