Betty's Getting Herself in Gear - Bike Gear

Ok, so I've been telling myself that once my second son started preschool that I was going to start biking to my meetings and errands. This year will be my son's third year of preschool and I've gotten on my bike once. And that was a five minute ride to a neighborhoord PTO meeting.

Eco-guilty as charged.

But the recent article in Cville Pedal vs Metal including the inspiring article about the bike mentoring got me on the phone Tuesday morning, inquiring about how I can get a bike mentor ASAP!

I am a little frightened. My husband didn't help by blurting out, "I don't want you riding the hellacious bypass!" And it doesn't help that a close friend of mine was hit last year by an SUV, which outweighed her by a couple tons. She fared well, luckily. But it makes this Betty a little nervous.

The last time I was regularly on my bike was in the Rocky Mountains. And I gotta tell, I'd rather brave a few wild animals than the wild drivers.

That's where the mentor will come in handy.

I told my avid biker (doesn't own a car)/buddy, Howell, and he had a fresh perspective on my plan. Make it fun! He's not saying don't be mindfully aware of things that outweigh you by tons. He's merely invoking that important component of human nature: we like to do things that are fun, so make this fun. If you have fun doing it, you will want to do it some more.

Then he highly recommended I do a bike wardrobe makeover. He told me where to go buy a bright yellow bike shirt and suggested I coordinate it with other hip pieces (you mean rubber bands over my lower pant legs?).

"Include the bike," he then advised.

Betty definitely needs a dinger. Or at the very least a honker horn. I can't wait! He also recommended adorning my bike with stickers. Of course, right after Betty's sticker, will come my Trees sticker and then unmentionable stickers (of a political nature - all positive of course), and of course who can leave out the ubiquitous Buy Local, Buy Fresh sticker. Yipee! (my love of stickers goes way back)

My friend is like the biking eye for the driving guy or something, he really knows how to sell this. I tell him he needs to become a bike mentor himself. (in fact, he's already one, just not officially)

So stay tuned (I promise to include pictures) and keep out of the bike lanes. Don't be hitting any Betty wannabees.

XO
BWB