It’s a Schwinn-Win Situation

this is Molly Schwinn

I am not the most athletic type. In fact, I’ve never found a sport or activity I truly enjoy, one I’m passionate about, one I can’t wait to rush out and do each day. While many find exercise invigorating, I find it exhausting, a repetitive grind. When I so much as read others’ blog posts or tweets about their running or working out, I feel a strong urge to lie down and rest.

Until recently. Himself has been bicycling the past few months and has tried to interest me in biking with him. Finally, on Labor Day weekend I decided to call his bluff. I said, “Okay, let’s go to Ventura Beach. We’ll bring your bike, and I’ll rent a beach cruiser, and we’ll spend the day biking up and down the beach.”

The cruiser I rented was old and rusted and gnarly. But it did the trick. Before we’d even gotten properly started, when I had but one foot on one pedal and was coasting from the rental shack toward the biking path, it all came back to me, how much fun bicycling could be. What low-tech freedom was possible on two wheels. We rode nine miles that day, pausing along the way to watch a surfing competition. We munched burritos from a food truck. We checked out a seaside nature preserve. We enjoyed more flexibility than either walking or driving could afford.

The next week I went out and bought myself a Schwinn. Her name is Molly. She’s short, with 24-inch wheels, and low to the ground, but that’s just fine, because so am I. After a childhood of hearing, “You’ll grow to fit it,” I’ve finally got a bike that fits me. Not one I’m expected to someday fit.

We name our vehicles, which may seem funny, but then we know a family that names its appliances, both large and small. My coffeemaker doesn’t have a name, but then it has never exhibited enough personality to merit one. My bike did immediately. Molly’s a peach.

Now I’m having fun, not only riding each day, but seeing how many errands I can run and leave Lola at home (that’s the car).

farmers' market run

Himself and I rode to the Studio City Farmers’ Market one weekend. It was great fun, having lunch, visiting with friends and picking up produce for the coming week (and not having to bother with the nightmarish parking situation there!). Before I got the rack installed and a pannier to attach to it, I bungeed a basket to the handlebars to hold our farmers’ market plunder.

grocery run

I have more options for transporting things now. The rack and pannier make carrying gallons of milk and bottles of wine much easier to carry. Wonder if I can manage a Christmas tree…

a chauffeured sandal

I pedaled to the Halloween store and bought a wig. And to the shoe repair place to pick up my mended sandal. And to the hardware store for bits and pieces that didn’t require a motor and four wheels to carry.

On every ride I notice things I never notice while driving. This might be one of the best benefits of all.

Lola is getting ever so lonely. But I’m not buying as much gas these days. And I’m feeling better. And my clothes are getting a little looser. Now the exhaustion I feel after a long bike ride is a good one. A satisfying kind of tired that will fade by the time I’ve cooled down and finished chugging my water. This is a new thing for me. I’m digging it!