Today was a big day. I tend to enjoy challenges (a lot!) and today I had the chance to conquer something that scares me. There is a stretch of road in Langley that I don't even like to drive on, and the mere thought of attempting to navigate my way through it on a bicycle was intimidating. Its right where about 47 streets connect and the highway can be seen. There are cars that come diagonally into an intersection, as well as cars entering from the highway off-ramp and regular oncoming traffic. Just thinking about it makes my heart beat a little faster. This is apparently a biker-friendly part of town because they have been so kind as to put bike lanes in. Maybe biker-friendly isn't the correct term though. I'm sure it would be imminent death to a biker if there were no bike lanes here.
Today I had an appointment and it was directly on the other side of this crazy section of road. I accepted the challenge, and decided to overcome my fear of the 200th and 88Ave crazy-area (that's a technical term!). I think when you do something like this you get a little extra adrenaline, which always helps to push you up the hills. The entire way back is a hill to my house and this adrenaline worked to surge me up the hill.....I'm not even sure I was pedalling anymore ;)
I think that anyone who builds a road and makes a bike lane should by law have to get on a bike and test out their bike lane. If someone had done this, I think they might have rethought some of their plans. When you are cruising along with the fumes of transport trucks wafting into your face, and their tires just inches from your pedals, it is not comforting to all of the sudden be panic stricken trying to relocate where the bike lane has gone. I was following the bike lane, and then all of the sudden it disappeared.Where the heck did it go, and what was I supposed to do in the mean time? Find it? Nope. I just kept pedalling pretending like I didn't know I wasn't in the bike lane. There are several parts where the bike lane takes a vacation and then all of the sudden reappears. Sorry road man (i.e. the man who plans the roads), but I can't exactly take that same vacation that the bike lane is! I must get home and momentary air travel is no option (although that would be sweet!). There are also stretches where you are following the bike lane, and then you are redirected to cross when it is safe into another lane. Checking my blind spot while on a bicycle has always come as a bit of a challenge to me, and I never know how fast I am going compared to that oncoming car. Talk about an adrenaline rush! My internal thoughts are telling me that I can beat the car, and the minute I take that irreversible pedal into the path of the vehicle it all becomes a little clearer. Sometimes I have a lot of room, and other times I wish I had a better internal judging mechanism (sorry if you are reading this mom....I am being safe!).
All in all, today has been a great day! I accepted an internal challenge and conquered a stretch of road that I have always feared riding! And the best part is that I got to do this all in the glorious, glorious sunshine :)
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