First trip into the heart of the city!

On Thu, 04 Nov 2004 12:46:42 -0500, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

This is absolutely true.

My own experience: When I began adult biking in the early 1970s, I was
very careful about choosing roads. Roads were divided into those that
had very little traffic ("good for cycling"), roads that had more
traffic but slow moving ("scary" - but you can't get into town
otherwise) and "I can't ride there" roads.

As I read more & learned more about riding, the middle type of road
became not scary at all. And the "can't ride there" category got
smaller and smaller.

For many, many years now, I've been at the point where "can't ride
there" roads don't seem to exist. Roads that used to scare me are now
perfectly normal riding. I've now ridden coast to coast, following my
own route, and never found anything I couldn't safely ride. I've ridden
downtown DC as part of that trip - no problem. I've ridden in dozens of
major cities and several foreign countries.

Some roads are more pleasant than others, of course. I prefer less
noise and fumes (although exhaust fumes seem worse overseas). But I
actively enjoy biking city centers. I think it's the best way to _see_
a city.

Those who are fearful, take heart. You can learn to ride anywhere you like.

OK, what about curvy road, lots of ups and downs and blind corners, not
banked correctly, used as a short cut by many speeding cars and large
trucks, lots of trees creating shadows. Speed limit is 50 but ppl to 60,
and frequent users use much of the road to allow taking the corners
gymkhana road rally style? (lol)

There's a road like that near me I want to ride and I just can't bring
myself to do it yet. Hell, it scares me a little to be a passenger while my
wife drives it and I follow the map. ;-D

But I get your point. I think it may require continous riding, and
acquisition of the kind of nerve you get in your 20s, but I'll keep an open
mind.

Thanks...good thoughts.

-B