I bought a bike about 3 weeks ago, but aside from a 5 minute spin around my neighbourhood (while wearing a skirt!) on the night I bought it, the weather had been too lousy or I’ve been too busy to use it.

Today, I decided that I was getting out on the bike no matter what. Nature tried to throw me off by dropping the temperature by I refused to be diverted. I was getting on that bike.

I was halfway down the bath between here and my Mom’s when I remembered that I didn’t know how to use the gears. I actually laughed out loud at that, because holy metaphor batman, that’s a problem for my whole life – I’m either all out, or I’m in the tub with a book, no in between. I got The Man to explain it to me when I got home, hopefully learning it on the bike will translate to real life too.

What else did I learn?

I like to go fast. Well, fast for me anyway.

If you look friendly, and like you are trying to share the path, people smile as they move out of your way.

That stand up and pedal thing to get up a hill is a lot harder than I remember.

And, last but not least, bicycling is more fun if your bike looks cool. I think I knew that when I was a kid, but I had totally forgotten until now.