Slow and steady

There is no better way to get moving than on a bike. While it might take 15 minutes to walk a mile, on a bike you can do it in 4. It's heart-healthy, and there is no pollution. It's the best way to get to know where you live. I knew the area from Sawtooth Fish Hatchery to the 10-mile marker better than any of the country between that marker and Ketchum. I could stop by the side of the road frequently to take a drink of water and look around. Early-on I knew that Gold Creek was about halfway between the hatchery and the roadside station. I could stop and watch the fisherman pulled off to the side of the road, or stop and watch a bird fly overhead. It isn't a big deal to stop. In a car we are usually looking to get somewhere far away or in a hurry, and it seems silly to stop every couple of miles to look at interesting things.
When I started daily bike rides year ago, there was no bike path in town, and I found myself being honked at and getting dirty looks from drivers who apparently assumed that wherever they were going was far and away more important than wherever I was headed. Many times they probably did, but why be rude about it? It doesn't necessarily follow that just because you are the one going faster, you should take precedence over someone obeying the speed limit. Besides, sometimes taking your bike allows you to get somewhere faster, or at least take a short cut. When I first started riding around town, going by the roads made me nervous because 1) everybody in a car seemed to assume increased importance, thereby endangering me, and 2) it seemed the route added at least a mile to where I was going. I recall a nurse being completely amazed that I had ridden 3 miles out to the office (using the back roads), but then, she didn't realize that my normal bike rides are anywhere between 10 and 40 miles. I keep having to remind myself that not everyone is in the shape I am, but I bet starting with the small jaunts to the grocery store would help.
I realize that biking isn't practical for everyone. I have had enough major wipe-outs during the winter that I prefer to walk or drive. It's not much fun to ride 5 miles with a headwind of 60 mph, but when I turn around it is smooth sailing. People with young children in their families can't very well tell them to bike a long distance. A fantasy of mine has always been a family bike, shaped like a car, but set up so everyone can pedal. Emissions-free, healthy, and a tune-up would rarely cost more than $200-$300!