Elisa Francesca Roselli wrote:


So I didn't really know what to expect.

Life's like that, no?


On arriving above ground, I was at first disappointed. Yes, there is a
building site down the whole length of the avenues. It takes up about a
third the width of the street. No, there is no cycling path as yet. So I
desultorily wheeled Behemoth for a few blocks, then moved her out onto
the road in the bus corridor, held my breathe and kicked off.

Well, that bee-line through the 14th, 15th and 16th Arrondissements was
my best cycling experience to date. It was all straight so there was no
need to worry about signalling. There was a bus-corridor the whole way
so not much need to worry about cars. I was able to let rip in 7th gear
and max out the whole way. Behemoth comes into her own in those high
gears. Voluptuousness of silken pedals... I was so comfortably upright
that I didn't even get my usual sore wrists. Only an occasional traffic
light, spaced with considerate rarity, brought me to a halt but
restarting was easy on the level ground. I stopped twice just to check
my bearings but even this was not necessary as there was really no
opportunity for wrong turning. Just thunder along till you cross the
water and come to a giddy stop on the avenue de Versailles.

Now I'm wondering if those protesters weren't right? What need for a
specialized cycling lane on a route which already functions so well?
Granted, sharing a lane with buses is a Faustian bargain, but they make
much better companions than baby carriages. I DO NOT WANT TO SHARE MY
LANE WITH F*%^$**ING BABY-CARRIAGES!!! And having seen what happened
with the much hyped Coulée Verte, I worry about a repeat. Yes, give the
cyclists their lane; force them to share it with pedestrians,
roller-bladers and dog-walkers, simultaneously ban them from the roads
"because they have their own lane". Then let the lane rot and become
overrun with tree roots.

Up till now I have always been dumbfounded at cyclists opposing the
construction of cycling lanes, but I see the light. To top it off, we
also have the hostility of the natives who lost their trees, and the
delivery trucks who lost their stopping place, so they will presumably
be doing nothing to help us. Oh well, wait and see.

EFR
Ile de France

A beautiful post! "

"Voluptuousness of silken pedals..." Your statement says a great deal. I hope you keep finding good places to ride. Cycling can be such a gentle adventure. You can smile while you flow along now . Stay well and stay alert.
Bernie