Becoming Bike-centric
My process of becoming is not limited to my spiritual life. I want to become more integrated into a social and growing cultural structure that I don't trample with a large environmental footprint.
Several aspects of my life collided in the last year to make bicycles rise to a much higher priority level. First, my wife and I have friends who are bicycle nuts. And I mean that in the most loving way! They just finished their second bike tour in Europe. Their first was in Denmark and more recently they circled The Netherlands. They lived in Traverse City, Michigan and they embraced the in-town lifestyle by having only one car and biking to complete errands and for fun. We rode with them a couple of times and the feeling of freedom that I felt in going at my own pace while taking in my surroundings was good for my mind and my soul.
Second, my wife and I were fortunate enough to travel to a bucket-list destination in the summer of 2014 to Sweden. It is a country that we were drawn to based on a government that actually cared for its citizens and a culture that cares about its progress for and with its people and environment. The greater awareness of the people around them and their effect on growth toward human development and evolution was refreshing to me since it is a culture that seems to have risen about ethnocentrism.
Third, I want to continue to find ways to reduce my carbon footprint beyond my recycling and energy conservation practices. So, biking allows me to get around while getting exercise while not emitting carbon dioxide. Overall, it's pleasurable with a side of purpose!
As these aspects came together in my mind, I shared them with my wife and we are now planning to move from a village near Traverse City into the city itself in order to sell a car and enjoy more of a European lifestyle on bicycles. We got so excited in our research of city bikes online that we found a sale and took the plunge.
We are now the proud owners of Mozie bicycles from the Mode line. Specifically, I have the Hugo and my wife has the Carolina. They are beauties; so well engineered in form and function. We have had them for about two months and have been out a few times on paved trails in the area. We have racked up 57 miles so far. Since I am still overcoming my compulsion to have a collection of something piling up, I decided I would log our mileage as we bike instead of collecting a material good.
Future biking, once we move, would include biking to work, and to get up to medium loads of groceries and, of course, to ride along the bay and through the woods in an attempt to regain some of that childhood freedom that comes with the wind in my hair and the world at my handlebars.
Paul Kolak
10/15/15
Several aspects of my life collided in the last year to make bicycles rise to a much higher priority level. First, my wife and I have friends who are bicycle nuts. And I mean that in the most loving way! They just finished their second bike tour in Europe. Their first was in Denmark and more recently they circled The Netherlands. They lived in Traverse City, Michigan and they embraced the in-town lifestyle by having only one car and biking to complete errands and for fun. We rode with them a couple of times and the feeling of freedom that I felt in going at my own pace while taking in my surroundings was good for my mind and my soul.
Second, my wife and I were fortunate enough to travel to a bucket-list destination in the summer of 2014 to Sweden. It is a country that we were drawn to based on a government that actually cared for its citizens and a culture that cares about its progress for and with its people and environment. The greater awareness of the people around them and their effect on growth toward human development and evolution was refreshing to me since it is a culture that seems to have risen about ethnocentrism.
Third, I want to continue to find ways to reduce my carbon footprint beyond my recycling and energy conservation practices. So, biking allows me to get around while getting exercise while not emitting carbon dioxide. Overall, it's pleasurable with a side of purpose!
As these aspects came together in my mind, I shared them with my wife and we are now planning to move from a village near Traverse City into the city itself in order to sell a car and enjoy more of a European lifestyle on bicycles. We got so excited in our research of city bikes online that we found a sale and took the plunge.
We are now the proud owners of Mozie bicycles from the Mode line. Specifically, I have the Hugo and my wife has the Carolina. They are beauties; so well engineered in form and function. We have had them for about two months and have been out a few times on paved trails in the area. We have racked up 57 miles so far. Since I am still overcoming my compulsion to have a collection of something piling up, I decided I would log our mileage as we bike instead of collecting a material good.
Future biking, once we move, would include biking to work, and to get up to medium loads of groceries and, of course, to ride along the bay and through the woods in an attempt to regain some of that childhood freedom that comes with the wind in my hair and the world at my handlebars.
Paul Kolak
10/15/15
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