Riding To Different Places

[Velocivixen]

I've been off a bike for years and have a 7 month old bike, named "Scout", who takes me on adventures. I have ridden more in 7 months than I have in probably 25 years! I have realized that I definitely have a bike riding "comfort zone". Even places where I feel confident driving in a car, where I know my way around, seem daunting for some reason. I have excellent bike maps of my community, use Google maps for bike routing, etc. There is no reason I should be timid about riding to places, but I am. Of course, I know to take side streets, streets with dedicated bike lanes, multi user paths, etc. Riding my bike to new places seems "scary" to me. I wonder if I'm the only one???

I have a big adventure planned out today with my DH (he doesn't know where we're going), and it will involve a ride to the transit station, taking our bikes onto light rail, riding over the Hawthorne bridge, Springwater corridor to "Cartlandia" (you can see on facebook). Cartlandia is a newly open area of food carts & bike friendly services along the major Springwater Corridor multi-user path. Se we're going there for lunch.

Even though I've got it all mapped out, know exactly where I'm going, etc., I'm a little anxious about it and I think it's because I've never done it before.

So...thoughts? Do you have a biking "comfort zone"? If so, do you strive to stretch that zone and get out more?

[lph]

Do you have a biking "comfort zone"?

Not really, but I'm not a new rider so I have no business answering anyway BUT I wanted to say that I do get slightly queasy if I have to DRIVE somewhere new, as I'm a fairly new driver (3-4 years now, but drive less than once a week). Funnily, the roads I usually bike are the ones I'm totally cool about driving, even if they're the rush hour monsters. As long as I can curb the impulse to give hand signals and bunny hop pot holes

And I wanted to add that I think being a bit anxious is a good thing, it means you're a responsible person who realizes that riding a bike is neither like driving a car nor like walking, and you need to be awake and attentive.

Have fun, sounds like a cool outing!

[Velocivixen]

Hi There in Oslo! So I see it can go both ways in regard to comfort zones. I know things will be just fine, but still, you know what I mean.
I really like seeing things via bike vs car because on bike you are "in" the environment, and in a car I feel insulated/isolated.
I'll post how it went when we return.

[Reesha]

Also, I just donated to this great Kickstarter project Portland By Bike in which they're making a pocket sized guide to Portland for bicyclists. Check it out-- I'm not sure when it will be done, but I do know that their project was funded!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...oun?ref=search

[jessmarimba]

I feel the same way. A lot of it has to do with the fact that the way I go by car isn't the way I would go by bike. Plus here there is a lot of construction that makes the feasible bike ways not as safe as I would expect (they are putting in a light rail system about 12 blocks north of me, so pretty much every road/MUP/trail system is under construction or blocked or walk-your-bike-only and I never know what to expect).

I've gotten in the habit of doing trial runs to places on weekends when I don't actually need to get anywhere in a hurry. That way if I run into a route that should be safe but isn't, I have time to find another way to get there.

[Tri Girl]

I'm the same way. Whenever I travel new places by bike I'm always a bit nervous/anxious. I think it's just- like you said- are "in the environment" and more vulnerable.
It's gotten better over the years and I've found that I'm less nervous/anxious than I was when I first started riding for transportation. I think the more you do it, the better it gets. And it's a great confidence builder for me when I make a trip/do an errand by bike that I wasn't sure I could.

How did your trip go?

[shootingstar]

I'm geo-spatially challenged --I don't have a good sense of direction.

Nevertheless I went exploring again today..except I get messed up in the head when I get away from bike routes that wind into the valleys and underpasses here.

Due to lots of rain in past few days, river levels are quite high now and have flooded sections of the route. So I had to get to street level and road to bike around, explore.

As long as I see certain landmarks to help myself, I eventually get somewhere.

Do tend to want to know in advance if there any highway interchanges ahead so that I don't end up in the wrong lane...

[Crankin]

I get anxious when riding in unfamiliar places, even if I am with people, and the riding is not challenging. I like to know "where" I am and am not one to just "explore." Well, I might be OK with that in my local area, but generally, I need to do a ride once before I am OK. My sense of direction is pretty good, but it's like I have a need to "feel" where I am. It sounds weird and I am pretty sure it's a mild form of agoraphobia. I am the same if I am in an unfamiliar place on foot. I do travel, though and now I know to just ignore it and eventually I feel fine. For a long time, I would just be in a bad mood and snappy in the beginning of a ride, mostly with my friends or my DH (not on bigger group rides) until they figured out to just leave me alone until I got over it. So now I just keep it to myself and meditate if I feel anxious.

[Velocivixen]

Well, I'm finally back. Rode a total of 27.55 miles, average speed was 9.9 mph & max. was just over 18 mph., & I burned 1,046 calories (riding only).My DH suggested getting off the MAX (light rail) about 6 stops prior to where I had planned and ride down one of the less busy streets to the waterfront to the bridge we had to cross. I agreed since I knew we'd get there quicker, but I had to look at our map first to see "bike friendly" downtown streets. There was such a street, but it was one way going in the opposite direction. We ended up taking a street with cars parked on both sides and no bike lanes. At first I was p*ssed off at all this, then it became fun going down those downtown hills with very few cars behind me! I told myself that if cyclists can ride in streets in NYC, then I could certainly do it in downtown Portland on a Sunday!
So we made it to "Cartlandia" & since it just opened there were only 3 food carts so far. One was still waiting for inspection, but there are spaces for 32 food carts, there are bathrooms, a bike tire pump, tents with tables/chairs, etc. Here are a couple of photos:

[radacrider]

Nice, sounds like you and DH had a great first experience ride! Is Cartlandia along the north-south or east-west Springwater Corridor?

[Bike Writer]

Congrats VV, sounds like you two had a great ride! Sorry but I can't relate to being anxious on rides to new territories. I love riding a new and unfamiliar trail and the sense of adventure and exploration. The only time I might be a wee bit anxious is if the area is remote and I am riding by myself and it's later in the day and I haven't seen another person in a half hour or so, that can get a little bit spooky. Otherwise, I am never happier than when I am going on a ride to a place I've never been before. First rides are so pristine for me, I love the sense of "what lies around the next bend."

[Velocivixen]

@radacrider, Cartlandia is where Springwater crosses SE 82nd Avenue just on the right next to the path. So that would make it east-west I believe, vs n-s by the Willamette.

@Bike Writer, I do love your sense of adventure. I would say I'm adventurous, but I feel better when I have a specific "plan" of where & how to get there. There is something to be said about the freedom and willingness to let go and just explore.

[indysteel]

I cut my riding teeth (as an adult) on one particular side of town. While I've ridden all over the city, I feel safest in my old stomping ground. Two years ago, I moved south of the city, to an area that's fairly rural and a little bit sketchy in parts thanks to loose dogs and fast pick up trucks. It makes me far more nervous to ride around home alone, and I find myself more anxious than I'd like. But that said, I've also ridden pretty comfortably in other states and am generally game to ride most anywhere.

[Sky King]

Sounds like it has potential. My daughter lives in Portland so will share your post. I don't mind checking out new places but if I can, I look at the topo map first. We did a ride on the edge of Zion's National Park with our touring gear once that climbed 5,000 feet in elevation in 20 miles to a dry camp, looking back I am glad we did it but at the time I was questioning the wisdom of no advanced research.

[MomOnBike]

I seem to be the outlier here.

I see a road going off over a hill and wonder where it goes. So I put foot to pedal and find out. I have discovered some wonderful routes, places, shortcuts, eateries, and fun doing that.

I guess I have no fear of getting lost, or something. My father would take us up to the top of a mountain on horseback when I was (much) younger and then have me lead us home. We took some "scenic shortcuts" at times, but we always made it back. It was a good lesson.