You Don’t Have To Be A Kid To Ride Your Bike

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“Every girl needs a turquoise beachcomber,” I said to my husband two nights ago when I convinced him that the turquoise bike featured above is a must-have for my health and well-being.

“But you already have a bike,” he said.

It’s true. I do. But not one that looks as cute and feminine and beachy as this one.

You don’t have to be a kid to ride your bike. In the summertime, I like to ride my bike to the pool or around the neighborhood or on the three-mile path of Kinder Farm Park that is two blocks from our house. I don’t need a fancy bike, just one that feels pretty to ride. I’m a girly-girl, and I like pretty things like crystal chandeliers, lots of red and pink accents, and anything that comes in a Tiffany-blue box. Who doesn’t?

Do you, like me, look at a bike as a symbol of freedom? It means you are not commuting in a car; it means the wind can blow in your hair; it means you probably are not rushing off to do a chore, task, or anything work-related. A bike equals leisurely fun. Your bike is begging you to “slow down and enjoy the ride.”

When I was younger, I hopped on my bicycle and went everywhere—to my friends’ houses, to the boat dock in our neighborhood, or to the beach, where I would lie on my towel in my bathing suit and catch some rays by the river. It allows us a way to get somewhere in a carefree manner.

My husband didn’t put up a fight about adding another bike to our garage; he’s so great like that. My daughter can ride the bike I currently have as she has outgrown hers. Plus, she loves the Nantucket straw basket we put on the front of it last year. Indeed…a basket can make the bike.

If you haven’t ridden your bike lately, I suggest you do. Remember what it feels like to pedal along without punching a clock, gliding along, and pumping those pedals. Just ride for the pleasure of it and look around.

Afterwards, let me know what you see and how you feel.