Executive Bike Commute Saga: Chapter 15 A Day of Errands

Greetings Fellow and Aspiring Cyclists,

Oh man is it ever pretty on the Bike Path this morning--blue sky, blue ocean, beautiful blue, blue, blue...   Mounting my bike earlier at home with long pants and a long sleeved shirt, I realize that I am over dressed and change into shorts and a t-shirt.  It’s a perfect day to soak up some vitamin D.  Its 70 degrees! 

As I peddle, I reminisce about the weekend and how fun and easy it is to use a bike for errands instead of a car.   Being a creature of habit, last Saturday I am tempted but refuse to break my car out of the garage.  After all, it is a day of errands, and I am a bike rider.  I need meds, printer paper, stamps, a touchup on my hair, and a new skirt.  In the evening, I have agreed to meet my husband John at his "office" after work at the HydroBike dock at Alamitos Bay Landing.  We will then walk over to "McKenna's on the Bay" for dinner. 

Earlier that afternoon on my bike, I stop briefly for my prescription at Rite-Aid locking my bike to a conveniently located bike rack on Ravenna Street.  Back in the saddle a few minutes later, I turn left at the interminable signal onto the marked bike lane on 2nd.  Crossing the bridge over Alamitos Bay I merge carefully onto the Second Street sharrows in Belmont Shore the home of close-to-home errand running.  They say it is good to shop local, right? 

My next stop is Shear Pleasure at the far end of Belmont Shore for my hair.  My hairdresser Holly and I have a gay old time catching up since my last visit five weeks ago.  A great colorist, she is also a good listener.  She seems enthralled with the story of how I have suddenly become an Executive Bike Commuter--that I am leaving my car in the garage and running errands on Second Street. 

An hour and a-half later, a new woman, I am back out on the Second Street sharrows , heading toward my favorite purveyor of fine clothing--Black Market White House, better known as Black and White.  I feel pretty, oh so pretty, I feel pretty and witty...   How I love a new hair do!  I tie up to another conveniently located bike stand, itself an artsy rendition of a bike.  On my arrival, the sales girls offer cheery greetings.  "May I help you find something in particular," one offers?  "No I'm just browsing for now,"  I select two tops, two skirts, and several belts and head for the dressing room accompanied by --was it Lauren, who offers to find whatever sizes I need.  I settle on a white skirt and a blingy metal belt, pay up and head out to stow my purchases in the bike pack.

On Second Street again, I stop and lock up at Belmont Shore Rite-Aid, slide my pack off the back of my bike and go in to buy the printer paper.  I find that the ream does not quite fit into the pack well enough to get the zipper completely closed.  Oh well...  I slide the pack back onto my bike and then head over to the Post Office for stamps--it seems I hardly use many these days what with online bill pay.  What will become of the U.S. Post office?

Finished with my errands, I follow my route back home along the sharrows and the bike lane arriving safely and soundly.  I marvel that the beauty of running errands on a bike and not in the car is that I do not have to hunt for a parking space twice at both ends of Belmont Shore on a busy shopping day or feed parking meters, and let us not forget that $47 parking tickets are always a risk.  I simply lock my bike to one of the conveniently located bike racks at every errand stop.  I'm free!!!! 

It's 6 o’clock by now.  I shower and don a black shirt, my new white skirt, silver belt and heels and head over to the HydroBike dock at Alamitos Bay Landing.  This involves crossing the 2nd Street Davies Bridge--an adventure in itself because of the height of the bridge and the view.  I take a right at Marine Drive onto another marked bike route and ride all the way to the Landing and John's "office" at the dock--see picture.   He is just off-loading the last giddy water bike renters and preparing to close up shop for the day. 

We walk my bike over to McKennas, tie up to a railing and enter the restaurant to smooth jazz sounds.  We settle in at a window table with a gorgeous view of the Bay and order white wine, bouillabaisse in a light wine sauce, and sour dough bread.  The sea food is excellent, and we thoroughly enjoy the light wine sauce and bread dipping.  It is a very relaxing end to a busy day.  I have attached a picture of me in my new skirt on my bike in front of McKennas to show that you can ride a bike in a skirt and heels.  Afterward, we lift the bike into the bed of John’s pick-up truck and head for home.  What a day!

Dear cyclists, I hope our bike paths soon cross.  See you out there.

Living bike-friendly in sunny Long Beach, California
Nancy Huntington

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