RE-learning how to ride a bike

Ok, I've decided that I don't have the gift of blog. I don't really like doing it. I think it takes too much time. I'd rather be out there experiencing something than taking the time to write about it. Plus, I'm just lazy... :P So if my blogs are sporadic, sorry!

SLOW rider
I was so excited that my friend Kerstin was lending me her bike while she's away! Now, I haven't ridden a bike in years, and I technically never really owned one, unless you count the mini bike my parents bought me at a garage sale when I was in Jr. High. That was the bike I learned how to ride on b/c I it was low enough to the ground that I could peddle it Flintstone style, and not worry about falling. Anyways, I digress...

So, the point of that story was to show I know nothing about bikes. So when Kerstin lent me her bike, she told me it needed some air in the tires. Ok, I took the pump and accidentally let out all the air remaining in the tires. Hmmm...not good when all you have is a tiny hand held pump. So, I pumped and pumped til I was huffing and puffing, and thought I did a pretty good job. :)

The next day, I went for a ride in the park close to my house. This is the park that I refer to as 'Druggie's Park.' It was appropriately named that after Kerstin told me not to be alarmed if I saw "black men hiding in the bushes in the park." WHAT?!?! "Don't worry, they're not there to harm you, only to sell drugs. If you just tell them 'nein' (no), they'll leave you alone." Oh, ok, now I feel much better...

My ride through the park was very peaceful, although I did notice that everyone was passing me by. "Hmmm, well, I'll get faster as I ride more," I thought. The park was beautiful, I was able to see people with their kids, families, teenagers, black swans with red bills, rams (only in Germany...), and yes, black men hiding in the bushes pushing drugs. :)

The next day, Thur 9/11, I was going to meet a friend of a friend, Doo-Kyoung (aka Kay), for coffee in Pberg. I thought I'd save some money and get some exercise if I rode into the city. OH MY GOD...I was freaking out!!! Riding a bike in the park is different than riding it in the busy streets alongside cars and pedestrians! The highlights of that day included crashing into a parked bike, having an old woman yell at me in German and tripping over my bike in the middle of the street and spraining my ankle! Yes, I wasn't even riding it, I was WALKING it!!! And I still couldn't figure out why everyone and their mother (literally...I'm talking old people here) were passing me! I was barely going faster than jogging pace! The ride was nice, though, and even if I spent over 3 hrs biking from home to meet Kay for coffee, it was fun. I even got to catch the sun setting over the Fernsehturm (Berlin's famous TV tower).

OH, THAT WOULD EXPLAIN THINGS...
On Friday, I was supposed to meet up with an Art Center alum I contacted, Emily, for coffee in Pberg again. I thought I'd ride into the city again just so I could hone my biking skills. After meeting up with Emily and seeing the studio she works at, I stopped by a bike shop to buy a basket for Kerstin's bike since hers was stolen and I needed one if I didn't want to break my back riding around with my laptop. At the bike shop I spent the best 6,90 euros (approx. $10) I ever have! The bike guy did full-on bike maintenance for the cost of the basket! He 1. installed the basket, 2. fixed my gears and 3. pumped air into my tires! Yes!!! Apparently, I was going at a snail's pace b/c the gear shifter thingy was loose and that's why I couldn't change gears. And my tires only had air pressure of 0.5, when I was supposed to have 3.5! Oops!!! So, I was peddling around the city streets in 1st gear with flat tires. Hehe, no wonder I was scared for my life!!! Thank God I wasn't plowed down by a cute little smart car. :)

After I had air in my tires, the ability to change gears and my bike basket, I was one happy little Berliner. :)