Riding Bikes in Provo

Riding a bike in Provo is rough.  Some streets actually have bike lanes, so that is nice.  (Durham, NC does not have bike lanes.)  But, those bike lanes usually come to an abrupt stop.  This gives you a few options when riding.  Some streets have parking lanes.  The parking lanes can be pretty useful when there aren't any cars parked.  A second option is to just use the car lanes.  Some streets have the "share the road" signs, so this is completely legal.  It isn't completely safe, however.  If you are slow like me and decide to ride on the road, you're pretty much a goner.  A helmet won't save you there.  Or, you could ride on the sidewalk.  Most of the sidewalks in Provo are big enough for one and a half people to walk on.  So, if you are riding a bike, it's all you.  The sidewalks in Provo are also an obstacle course.  They have really good bumps and cracks.  If you go fast enough, you could get some sweet airtime.  I usually just biff it and get a bruise that covers the entirety of my knee.  Another option are the few trails in Provo.

I frequent those few trails.  They are nicer than riding on the wretched Provo sidewalks. However, I find that these paths are also frequented by roamers.  What are roamers?  Roamers are walking people who love the middle of the trail. They believe that the trail is for them.  If they are walking toward you, they move to the side.  Even if there isn't enough room for the both of you, they stay on the trail, so you get to balance on the edge, hoping you don't end up in the mess of tree stumps and roots.  The ones walking in the same direction as you are the worst.  You can usually find a small gap that would be just right for passing.  Just as you are about to pass them, they close the gap on the very side you are on.  Then you slam on your slightly working brakes to make sure you don't run into them.  You slide off your seat, and then come the terrors of the top tube.  And the roamers hardly ever notice.  They usually wear headphones, so they can't hear you yelling "On your left!" four times (or the bell that your friend has).  Those are roamers.  I usually end up startling them when I do happen to pass them.  I've heard a few shrieks as my friends and I have passed.

Now would probably be a good time to tell a story.  Here it goes.  Once upon a time, I was riding my bike to an interview.  Yay, nice clothes while riding a bike; it's already a good story.  (Nice clothes on a bike ride is just a way of telling nature that you are ready for the worst.)  Anyway, I came to a very narrow bridge.  I had to transfer from road to sidewalk because the trail I was taking ended abruptly.  At the bridge, I found a cement blockade on my right side, and a chain link fence on the left.  And a very slow man in the middle.  I decided to let him pass across the bridge before I started.  Then out of nowhere, there was another woman coming.  Both the man and the woman were walking in the direction that I need to go.  The woman was also slow, but I needed to get across before she started.  So, I decided to just ride very slowly across the bridge.

However, the man noticed me and moved to the right, so I could pass him.  I didn't want to pass him because there wasn't enough space.  But, he was slowly coming to a stop, so I had to.  So, I tried to pass him.  As I did so, I got really close to the chain link fence.  I tried to push myself away with my left hand, and it worked for a second.  I tried to push again to no avail.  And then, my handlebar got stuck in one of the holes of the fence.  The fence pulled my handlebars away from my hands and twisted them 180 degrees.  This means that my tire went the same way.  And, I kind of did.  But, my other tire was still going forward.  So, I landed on the ground.  The man was just standing above me staring at me.  My tan pants had a nice black smudge on them and a small tear by the bottom hem.  I quickly got back on my bike and told the man that I wouldn't try to pass him anymore.  I rode away.

I made it to the interview.  It was fine.

Though there are lots of things that I complain about, I really do love riding my bike.  It is my recreation of choice.  I'm not fast, but I love it.  It's my therapeutic recreation.  It gives me a lot to think about.  And it gives me ideas for my blog posts.

Also, here is a video by BYU Divine Comedy about Provo's transportation problems.