Caved. Got a road bike! :)

So I did it! I was CRAVING a road bike. I wanted to be able to climb the hills and go super fast if I wanted to.

And so I found it. My road bike. At least until I decide to upgrade again! :)

I even took a train TO the bike...because I fell in love with it THAT much. Yes. A train. Caltrain, to be exact! It has two layers. It was totally awesome. :)

It was a long ride, but SO worth it! 

That's her! My cute purple Trek with white bar tape and a white saddle! 

LOVES ME SOME CUTE ROAD BIKE! 

I even finally got my tool bag together for whichever bike I take out on the road! 

It definitely took some getting used to. All of a sudden being hunched over my handle bars like that, but I've gotten it down! I even have changing gears down to a science!! 

I feel like I constantly need to be out on the road riding, it's insane! 

Yesterday I rode down to the sand. Here are some shots from that. :) 

I was on a time crunch for the sunset, so it was great to just fly down Polk and be at the water! :) 

En route to the wharf...(closest sandy area, really.) 

Rode out onto the pier at the base of Fort Mason. Saw some dudes catch a stingray?? 

Bizarre...

Pretty....

Nice shadow pic. Haha. Hey helmet head!! :) 

Mission accomplished. I found sand. And sunset. All in one place. :) 

Another Pier shot...

I am starting to realize the potential of this city. And it's impact on my years to come. Me, pavement, two wheels, Dudley, and San Francisco. 

I don't need much more than that...

Happy Summer! 

-J

My First Adventure (literally) IN Traffic!

Monday August 2nd, 2010. That's the day! The day I finally got the courage to ride my bike to work down at the Ferry Building....at 9 AM...during downtown work hour HELL!!

What an INCREDIBLE experience, though. It was SO freaking cool! It was cold and misty and I was chilling in my lane next to giant buses, swarming taxis, and stop and go idiots. I mean. Safe drivers...and stupid pedestrians. No. Actually, yeah. I do mean stupid pedestrians.

I got to use my bell. It was an efficient method to warn the crazy lady that I was coming and about to run her over, so she should probably not be jaywalking. (I would have braked, but ya know. I DO have the bell and all...)

Yeah so it was thrilling, yet scary, yet SO worth it! I even locked my bike up at the ferry bike lock up...thing. I felt so cool. Yeah. I said it. I FELT COOL LOCKING MY BIKE UP WITH MY HELMET ON!!

The little things in life, really. My life has come full circle I think. If I've gotten to the point where I find myself getting giddy over locking up an old bike with a helmet and matching backpack on...then I've definitely come full circle. Right? Right.

Anyway. Here's where I parked my bike. Yepp. I am showing you a photo of where I parked my bike.

It was a really cool San Francisco morning. Here it is.

I love my life. 

That is all.

-J

Bikes Bikes and More Bikes on the Brain!

I can't stop noticing every little detail about every bike I pass now.

I'm dying to get used to my cruiser so I can move on to a road bike. Today I hit the jackpot and found Mikes Bikes down on Howard. Cesar and Matt were SO helpful!! AND...dun dun dun dunnnnn!!!

I GOT A BASKET!!! The most perfect basket, too!! I've been hunting for a great wicker basket to harness Dudley into and I found it! I have odd handle bars, so it's been quite the challenge for some reason. I thought I was going to have to dish out at least $100 on a basket. Nope! $30! It's nice and big for stowing other stuff as well! SO PUMPED!! I also got a rear view mirror because I can't seem to get the hang of turning around to watch for cars just yet. Those guys were awesome and put that on for me as well!!

I took Dudley out for a test drive in it and he loves it!! He wants to jump out if he sees another dog to play with, but we'll get passed that! He's starting to realize he's strapped in pretty snug. 

What I really love about it is that it is on a quick release clamp making the basket versatile for farmers markets and shopping. Also, no one can steal my basket if it's on my arm!! :) 

Noticing simple things like where bike lanes are located, whether or not there even is a bike lane, and the best way to ride to avoid crazy hills has become my new obsession. I feel like I've opened the doors to a completely different way of living.

I'm coming at the city from a completely different perspective now. Walking the city is one thing. Riding the city is another.

I'm in love!! :)

Here are some neat bike shots from the past week!

:)

Monster Puppy, Rawr!!! (He was yawning. But he looks ferocious! Haha)

Caught this little beaut on my lunch break down at the Ferry Building

This is the bike parking down at the Ferry Building as well. I wanted to check it out so when I actually ride down (tomorrow) to work I know right where to be.

I liked the clever stowing of this one. Haha. Nice. 

I die for the yellow bike. It was by Public Bikes down in SOMA. Their bikes and accessories are SO adorable!!

This gem is up the street from me on my way to work. I just really love the red/burgundy color of it. It has a really great vintage feel to it. <3

Helmets! My attempt at trying to huggle my brain!

Okay, so dare I say there are TOO MANY helmet options on the market?

I researched for hours. Granted, I've had my bike for exactly one week today, but gosh darn if I haven't spent well over 6 hours of it looking for a helmet!

I barely got to ride my bike due to this dilemma, however, I eventually found the helmet that I was looking for.

I'm a girl. I need to have fashion in mind as much as possible considering I lack all fashion sense, whatsoever. I'm not really great at being a girl. Let's just say if it involves black yoga pants, flipflops, and a sweatshirt, I'm there!

It came down to the wire between the Bern and the Nutcase. I couldn't decide if I wanted to go whacky and crazy or stay simple and muted. Decisions, decisions!

Therefore, I threw the two together and got a kickass muted black Bern helmet with Lime Green detailing. My reasoning for the lime green was strictly because my backpack has lime green lining. Yepp. That's how I chose my helmet, folks!! Ya heard it here, first! What a crappy cyclist I'm turning out to be...oh well! I'm just gonna roll with it!

Try and tell me that helmet isn't adorable! Go ahead and try! Haha. 

The fit is great! Not too heavy or clunky. I feel like if I land on my head, I will at least have some cushion before it's my cranium versus pavement. Isn't that what a helmet is really all about? 

Oh! And I like that I am not required to wear sunglasses with said helmet, due to the cute visor...thing! :) 

Anyways. Here are some pics of the other cute helmets that were in the final running! 

Yakkay (They have all different hat covers...really cool concept! But odd at the same time):

Nutcase (Whacky and crazy is all I can say!):

Anywho! That is all for the helmet rant/rave? 

Ta! 

~J

A new venture...

I have a habit of getting into a new hobby and then losing interest quickly. That was until I found how invigorating sitting atop two wheels truly can be in a city.

Having moved to San Francisco from a small town world in Pennsylvania, I rode a mountain bike here and there, but really I just hopped in my Jeep if I wanted to just get away from it all. Well, I can't do that in the city...or so I thought.

I have recently discovered a whole new way of living. I know nothing of cycling. I can't fix a flat tire. I can't fix a broken chain. I can't even tell you what I should wash my bike with. What I do know is that after starting to do a little research here and there....the world of cycling is one of the coolest things I've ever gotten into. I am so glad I decided to impulsively buy my bike last weekend.

Everyday I seem to get more and more into the whole scene. Following new bloggers I come across, bookmarking cute add-ons for my bike, discovering neat trails and paths all across the city dying for me to visit them.

This blog is going to be about my trials and tribulations. Learning how to do things with my bike. Places I find on my two new wheels. Or maybe just one photo uploads of cool bikes I see. It's going to be my new venture...into the world of cycling in one of the coolest cities my life has ever brought me to.

I will probably upgrade to a road bike shortly after getting used to my cruiser. I just have this feeling I'm going to WANT to climb the hills. However, for now, I am loving my vintage mixte. It's a Columbia "Grand Sport Classic 10 Speed". Other than that, I know nothing. :) I don't care if it ends up being a piece of crap, I still love it. It's my first city bike.

It needs a name, but I just haven't found one that is fitting enough just yet.

Sometimes you just need to leap head first into something. San Francisco, here I am.

~J