(no subject)

[camwyn]

I've started Operation Back In The Saddle. I cannot, cannot walk past bicycles any more- ridden, parked, whatever- without feeling madly jealous. Granted, I'm starting very very small, but any ride time is better than nothing.

Saturday was home to the Target store not far from Newport Centre Mall. I'm told the mall is 1.16 miles as the crow flies, so it was a bit further than that, both because of routing issues and because Target is two blocks past the mall. Let's assume 1.2 miles each way, tops. Sunday was further than that; same route as to the Target, but then on past the Target store and around the block, up and over into Hoboken and over to the Barnes and Noble for Christmas shopping, then home again. I managed just fine, although my jacket was extremely insulatory and I was sweating like mad by the time I got home.

It's not much, but it's a start. I'm going to do the Montauk Century this coming year, dammit.

Comments

[just-the-ash.livejournal.com]

I'm told the mall is 1.16 miles as the crow flies

Actually, I never fly to the mall.

Do you find online estimates of "driving distance" from Point A to Point B reliable? Doug often uses those for his mileage guesstimates.

[camwyn]

I've never actually relied on them for anything much. Most of the time if I want to know how far I"ve gone, or how far I'm planning to go, I use Google Pedometer and map out a turn-by-turn route as close as possible to what I've done/planned to do. That, at least, comes up reasonably reliable.

Safety issues

[kelathefinn.livejournal.com]

Are you riding *in traffic*, or are there separate 'bicycle lanes'? I had to ride in traffic only once in my life, in Birmingham, England - and I had real problems, not least being British 'lager louts' who used to shout insults and throw beer bottles at me... Finally I just rode on the (forbidden) sidewalks. There was almost never anyone walking on them. In two years, I think I saw only three other people on the sidewalks: lots of cyclists, but almost no women. Young male students. I was regarded as 'energetic', which I am not, I just like to cycle. Any road, how *safe* is it for you to ride around on a bike where you are, in terms of being hit by another car or coming in for harassment just because you are a woman on a cycle (I almost said 'bike', but I understand that word is reserved for motorcycles in the USA?)????

Re: Safety issues

[camwyn]

In traffic. There are no bicycle lanes in Jersey City, other than on one or two main avenues that aren't anywhere near my house and don't go anywhere that I need to go. At times I go up on the sidewalk, although this is technically illegal. The drivers are generally pretty good about avoiding cyclists; I make a point of wearing high-visibility clothes, too, and I"ve attached flashing lights to my tyre valves just in case. If I"m riding in dim light conditions I also have front and rear lights on the bike.

I have yet to be harassed for being female except during high summer when short-sleeved spandex clothing is de rigeur, and that hasn't generally been harassment so much as wolf whistles. Nobody's thrown anything or been insulting, anyway.

[midnightlurker.livejournal.com]

I need to buy a bike, fairly desperately.

Any recommendations? It's been over fifteen years since I last owned one.