Any suggestions for killing three hours downtown? Every day?
While gas prices may be coming down, one of the reasons I agreed to take this semester's writing course is, since it is online, I'm able to stay home in my pajamas...and Petra in hers...while the family dashes off into the world. Sure, drag me out for pick up at 3 p.m., I thought. But Mac gets out of school at noon.
I've never really enjoyed driving (rather be home in my p.j.s). Lately I've been a driving fool. I've been thinking of riding my bike for at least one of the pick ups and cutting down on the car usage. Since I haven't been able to work out in a while, I figured it would be a win-win.
Of course, the week I'm getting determined to do this and have Two Wheeler Dealer looking at my bike, a bicyclist is killed on River Road, which I've always know as a well-traveled bike path with a plethora of bicyclists.
I would be riding along the bike path along our road that, well, could hardly be called a path. Most people would refer to it as "a road with white lines." Just because it has the Route 1 signs, does not a bike route make.
Now, I'm not a fearful bicyclist (I've ridden in London and New York City), but I think I'm getting psyched out to ride in this town. Just yesterday I spoke with a woman who used to ride her bike--for 15 years--around this town for miles and miles at 5:30 in the morning. She said she had been hit at least three times with some deliberation on the drivers' parts.
So, readers, what are your thoughts about bicycle riding in Wilmaville? What would you do to use up the time between noon and 3 p.m....besides driving back and forth?
Otherwise I'm going to invest in body armor for me and the kids. And it won't be a pretty sight.
I agree Elizabeth. After years of feeling 'stuck' in Wilmington, we moved down to Carolina Beach where it is much easier to get out on one's bike. We had enough of our busy Wilmington neighborhood and decided we wanted to find a place where we could head out the front door and safely ride a bike or go for a jog. Our previous location in Wilmington did not afford us that luxury as the neighborhoods were not well connected and we were forced to cross a busy road to get any real distance.
ReplyDeleteI am very happy to see that the city leaders are now focusing on bike lanes and are putting money forward to make some of the projects reality. They've done a good job around the Mayfaire area but that is just a start.
I was surprised when I moved to Wilmington years ago and found that this 'beach' town did not cater to non-vehicular traffic. That just never made sense to me.