Becoming a bike dude

Today I rode my bike all the way home from work for the first time in a very long time.

For the past 1.5 years I’ve been having serious health problems and have been unable to ride my bike very often at all. I don’t want to get into specifics since I’m trying to keep this blog anonym-ish — things are a lot better now but I am spending a ton of money on preventative healthcare, still, to manage some of this stuff.

I had to stop medically transitioning, mostly for health reasons but also some personal reasons, and that has also been very difficult for me psychologically.

 

I have also been having a lot of personal relationship problems, with both family and romantic relationships.

 

I also started an intensive grad school program in the healthcare field, which makes not being on testosterone a lot worse, and also makes me way more crunched for time — so I’ve been taking public transit A LOT, and studying on the bus. That feels necessary even though I am bummed about not riding as much.

 

In summary: it’s been a rough time since I was last here. I miss riding my bike and I want to get back into it, even if it’s only three days a week because the rest of the time I’m in school.

 

I still have my awesome bike shop job, and I’m so happy to at least work with people who not only encourage biking but just see it as totally normal that you would bike everywhere. It’s just a thing people do. That seems like the most encouraging thing.

 

I’m also really excited about my grad school program and future career, even though it is really difficult actually getting through it right now.

 

So, yeah: I rode home today. I was worried that my tires were low but then I realized that actually it’s just that my muscles are so completely out of shape it is difficult to ride. I am starting from scratch. But at least I know what I’m going for, and I know how awesome it is to feel like I can go anywhere, and all I need is my bike.

 

Anyway, I’ll see you on the road!