Tag: pedelec

My Daily Compromise

It is my day for traffic themes it seems (Friendly Friday, RDP, and now this). This is Wynona Rider (possibly similarities with known people are intentional). She has been with me for more than 5000km now or two years. I love riding her, I love the exercise she gives me, I love the freedom she gives me. Yet, she is a compromise. Wynona is a pedelec, i.e. she has a motor.

I am not apologetic about that: without the electrical assistance I would not ride a bike. We live between the plain of the Rhein valley and the hills of the Odenwald. Even at my fittest a ride in these hills would have been daunting for me. I certainly wouldn’t have gone on errands by bike, arriving sweating and puffing (and probably smelling) wherever I needed to go, and carrying home grocery bags.

Bought mainly for recreational purposes, Wynona has become an almost constant companion: I ride to work with her, I take her shopping, I go on outings. I ride her even when it’s raining and only ice and slush on the roads will stop me getting on her saddle. Everything within a radius of 15km is within easy reach, combined with trains we go even further. I regret not having made this compromise earlier.

FOWC with Fandango: Compromise

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(Not) Commuting in the Time of Corona

The school where I teach is still closed so currently I don’t commute. But once we’ll start again there will be changes. I used to take the car but I started to feel bad about it since it is really a short distance. Then I got a small scooter (not an e-scooter, mind you) and realised that these little toys are just that – toys: fun for a short distance but not built for longer trips, even on slightly rough roads because they have hardly any buffers.

I started to combine the scooter with the tram or bus which was okay except that I needed a bulky backpack to carry all my teaching equipment. Together with carrying the scooter this doesn’t work too well if there is lots of other commuters. And then one day I fell, I still don’t know why, my glasses broke and my face was bloodied. And my pride severely injured.

But now I have Wynona. Wynona Rider (sic!) – a stupid pun because the make of the bike is called “Winora”. But I’ve already clocked up 500 km on her and the car has mostly stayed in the garage. I’ve learned to assess my grocery shopping so that it fits in the side bags.

Cee’s challenge got me to think about the route of my commute – it’s not far but I want to avoid unnecessary traffic pitfalls for cyclists. I took my camera and here it is:

Leaving the yard and it’s downhill immediately. It’s pretty steep and that should wake me up in the morning! At the foot of the hill is the tram station on the right.

I turn to the left and have a cycle route that changes into a road lined with trees. I cross over a bridge and down a long cycle path to keep me away from the heavy traffic. I pass a large crossing (no photos, I was busy pedalling) and after 3.75 km I have arrived at the school.

Now let’s see if I find this as much fun once summer turns into autumn and winter with wet and cold weather.

Linked to the On the Hunt for Joy Challenge: Commute, joyfully.

Me and my new girl

2020 new a

I’ve been planning to get a new bike for awhile but thanks to Corona I delayed the acquisition.  In the meantime our ways of doing things has changed: I do all the shopping on my own which we often did together beforehand.  I don’t use public transport anymore.  As we shouldn’t go out for joyrides (they always were a guilty pleasure due to environmental reasons) my radius has shrunk.  So when the shops opened again I made a very impulsive decision and bought a pedelec – complete with bags for shopping and/or my camera.

It is such a beauty – I call her Winona Rider, by the way – that even the local bird life is interested:

2020 new b

But I got my own back, being equally curious and being stealthy and very quiet (thanks to Winona):

2020 new c

Linked to A Photo a Week: Coronavirus changes.