The Weekend that was !

Einstein thought of the theory of relativity while he was driving a bicycle, well humble mortals like myself were obviously not thinking on these lines when i decided to buy one.
When i shared my intentions with my friends i was in for mixed reflections on the subject - "Have you actually given it a proper thought, why don't you join a gym instead, Bangalore is not conducive for this kind of an adventure, i think its a very good form of cardio vascular exercise, its a completely vacuous thought" .... the list goes on.

This actually put me into some kind of quandry, if this was such a good idea at all . But a small travelogue down the memory lane and a little reminiscence of the formative years put me back on track.

So this Saturday i went to Commercial Street and with some trepidation entered the shop. Since i had decided to go for a non geared one, the model of my choice was "BSA Lady Bird". the moment i entered the shop i decided to relinquish the very idea. Kids of ages 11 and 12 were buying those very bicycles. i was profusely flustered, but i happen to have some disregard for the conventional behavior, so i went ahead to the counter to inquire about the "bike" of my choice albeit with a very sheepish grin.

Finally on Saturday evening i got the bicycle delivered at my place. Sunday evening seemed to be a perfect time for the try outs. i had imagined it all in advance the routes and everything for that perfect drive. i was not even a kilometer en route when i found myself already gasping for breath. it was almost a decade since i had driven a bicycle and i realized that 10 years of lassitude and sloth had done a lot of damage to my resilience.

Weather was thankfully in my favor and I managed to complete four kilometers, the drive downhill was very refreshing; Indiranagar defence colony is a haven for such a drive. the odyssey for the first day was a little bit too much for my hamstrings and triceps, and i was overwrought by the time i reached back home. But since i intend to do cycling very religiously, i am hoping that its only a passing phase. i also happened to read something very interesting; and though i am not a feminist it encouraged me nevertheless:

"I’ll tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than any one thing in the world. I rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a bike. It gives her a feeling of self-reliance and independence the moment she takes her seat; and away she goes, the picture of untrammeled womanhood.”
Susan B. Anthony, 1896"

PS: i also don't happen to leave a carbon foot print now :)

Liebe Grüße
Suyasha