good hippies bicycle to whole foods
I didn't ride my bicycle a whole lot over the summer, both because Zion is still too small for the state of Massachusetts to permit him to be carried in any pedal-driven conveyance (just by car, since cars are totally 100% safe), and also because it's pretty broken. But now that the new school year is upon us, I'm back in the saddle! Issues that keep me from riding recreationally are as nothing when I have to get to work. Which is nice: you know motivation and everything.
However, I could easily have driven to Whole Foods with Harvey this afternoon. It was hot, I was tired from riding home, and he isn't getting any lighter back there in the trailer. But I didn't! We rode, we shopped, and we hauled our produce home with us entirely under my own power. So of course now I can feel totally justified for today, saving-the-world-wise.
It's interesting how hard it can be for me to decide to ride short distances in town (it's not quite a mile to Whole Foods). Intellectually, I know that I'm likely to actually make better time on the bicycle, at least when I'm not hauling the trailer, and parking is way easier. But it is more work. If it's a hard choice for me, who ostensibly enjoys cycling, I imagine it must be almost insurmountable for folks who don't ride regularly. No wonder there aren't more bikes on the rack at Whole Foods (or, um, any bike racks at all at other local shopping plazas).
Of course, it's only the initial decision that's hard. Once I'm on the road I thoroughly enjoy the ride and never regret not being in the car. So... if you ever hear me equivocating about transportation options, point me to this post.