Ok so there isn't dress today but I have something so much better than a dress - at least to me. After almost 31 years I have FINALLY learned to ride a bike. My original goal was to learn to ride a bike before I turned 30, but at least now I can say I learned while I was 30.
Apparently learning to ride a bike while wearing a dress isn't recommended so I put on my plainest outfit of the summer. Some shorts that I've worn before in a very different way, a t-shirt that reads "just a small town girl, living in a lonely world" which my friend Jared laughs over every time I wear it telling me that he loves it but that I'm about as far from lonely and small town you can get. And on my feet I have some boring sneakers. Not an exciting outfit by any stretch of the imagination, but very practical.
In just 2 hours, the amazing folk from Bike New York taught this bloomie how to ride a bike. Granted I can't go more than about 20 feet at a time (if that) and I have no idea how to turn, but it's a start and I'm really proud of myself.
Note the look on my face. It's of the "holy shit is this really happening...I'm gonna fall...this is so scary...and exciting" variety.
They say it gets easier once I move to a bike with a higher seat (they keep you low to the ground so you don't worry about falling) and I'm holding out hope that that's the truth. I also hope that once I become a better biker and am riding a bike that fits it won't hurt that much. The following day I felt like I'd had about 10 hours of rough sex. Photo credit belongs to one of the lovely Bike New York volunteers. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You were all wonderful!
That's so awesome :-) Did you grow up in NYC? It always seems so weird when you hear people talking about not knowing how to do something that you grew up with and took for granted knowing how to do! But I guess thinking about it, there are probably a lot of people who grew up and never learned how to ride a bike. Either way, congratulations! Don't worry, I think we ALL had trouble when we first started... and it does get easier!!! :-)
ReplyDeleteI can not believe how cavalier you are in this post about the fact that you are NOT wearing a dress! Hello, it's September, you have no excuse but to wear a dress every day, isn't that the whole point?! Sure you rode a bike (good for you, by the way!) but couldn't you have come home that night and thrown on a dress for the blog's sake?
ReplyDeletePlease don't let this happen again!
Alexandra I grew up in a suburb of NY on Long Island so new excuse for me not knowing how to ride a bike save for the fact that I was the baby and my parents got lazy with me That and that I am such a fraidy cat about falling. I really need to get better because I'm about to move and knowing how to ride a bike would be uber helpful.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, I'm sorry you're so upset. Really I am. In my defense it's not the first time I've failed. Look at my very first year http://www.flickr.com/photos/bloomie/sets/72157601851312987/with/1382441668/. I'll try not to let it happen again and maybe I'll blog a nightgown or something to make up for it. I thought about putting on a dress that night but I was so tired and sore and could barely put on yoga pants and a hoodie to head out the door to my friends birthday dinner. If I had to wear a dress I may have not even left my couch. Please don't hate me forever.
Hi there! Thanks for this wonderful post. You're on our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/bikenewyork#!/bikenewyork
ReplyDeleteGood for you! I say it's never too late to learn something new and there's no beating that proud moment when you can say, "I did it!"
ReplyDeleteBella
http://gypsyroxylee.wordpress.com/
Bike New York thank you for making this post possible!
ReplyDeleteThanks Bella.
HOLY CRAP!
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time I've ever stopped by your blog (even though I've seen it on the fatshionista.com blogroll for years), and what's the second entry down? You're 30 and learning to ride a bike!!!! I am in the same situation--turned 30 in July, also a fatty, never learned to ride a bike, and had a goal of doing it before I turned 30. What a coincidence! I'm in Minneapolis, and have unsuccessfully looked for an organization that does adult bike-riding lessons (though we have a MESS of biking organizations), and, even though all my friends know, I just have too much embarrassment etc to want them to see me try and fail. Do you have any tips from your experience? Or maybe someone from the org you worked with knows someone in Minneapolis who does this?
And CONGRATULATIONS! If nothing else, this gives me hope!
Somehow I'm just seeing this post. I'm pleased you did not try to bike in a dress as you would have killed yourself as I almost do on a fairly regular basis trying to bike in a skirt. When you come visit, we should ride bikes together. It would be SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO fun. I'm very proud of you.
ReplyDeleteOh God!! It's Amazing and I can't believe it, I appreciate and salute to you.
ReplyDelete