Strained Relations

The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. Well, here it is.

I am in a domestically violent relationship with my bike.

Wow that feels good to get it out there!  Don't get me wrong, I love my bike. I love how I can get places and back super fast. I love how European I look when I see myself in a store window as I am riding past. I especially love how my arms are no longer sore from lugging bags around because my basket and saddle bags take the brunt of the weight. 

However I do  not love this

I have another one in the same spot on the other leg and various other bruises up and down my leg. I am not entirely sure how I do it. I think it's from the pedals when trying to mount the bike. It's a very precarious situation, getting on the bike. You usually have one foot on the pedal, start going and then hoist yourself on the seat. Somewhere in that process (I think) is where the damage is done.  Yesterday was bad because I hit myself in the same spot again, while it was already tender from the day before.  My pants are getting too big so they get stuck on my seat when trying to sit on it. I'm a mess.

But, in other bike related news, I wanted to show the bike parking garages. Yes, they really have them!!

 and there are several more rows in this garage, just like this one. The top row, you pull down the "bike slip" and wheel your bike into it and then put it back up. It's pretty wild. This one is outside of Centraal Station so there are quite a lot of bikes in this one.

Also,not bike related..I got new boots:)

They're super cute and super comfy. Some people were wanting to see what I was talking about with the boots, so here they are!

Despite my current strained relationship with my bike, I am still quite happy with it.

See? I'm still smiling.