Share The Road?

When I have a plan in mind, I do not test the waters. Yes, I dive right in.

So this behavior reared its head tonight. In my attempt to live a car-free life in Atlanta, I chose to hit the streets with my bike for the first time tonight. I had to be at a birthday gathering for a coworker in the Druid Hills area, so I ambitiously lugged out my bike, filled the tires with air, and set out for the MARTA train.

Let's get to the point: This was scary. The exhilaration I briefly felt evaporated and reality of the road set in. It was 9:00 PM, meaning it was dark. First, I realized I did not have any 'flashy gear' to signal my presence and secondly, I knew that if I wanted to see another sunrise, I had to be assertive with cars on the road.

I made it to the MARTA train and enjoyed carrying my bike up and down the stairs like a 'pro'. Well, I tried, because I have always thought that people who carried their bikes by the metal frame were bad ass. Once on the train, I chatted with people who had clearly only been on MARTA once or twice in their life and once I arrived to Brookhaven Station I was yet again, off into the abyss.

I journeyed down the busy, dark, and thin North Druid Hills Road for a mile or two. (Scariest shit of my life.) I hit the curb in an attempt to stop at a red light and apparently, my chain came off. (No, this was not "off da' chain" in a good way at all.) Here's the kicker: I didn't realize the chain was off until I was speeding downhill towards a bunch of my road comrades parked at a red light. Yay.

I corrected the chain and finally arrived to my destination. Of course, I made sure to fall off of my bike in the parking lot in finale. I entered in to the Ethiopian Restaurant sweaty and late as a ten month pregnancy, however, I had a great night.

I ushered in my friend Shyam to his thirties with a celebratory hug, I spoke to friends about our road-trip to Minnesota for "The First National Conference for Campus Based Men's Groups for Gender Equality and Anti-Violence", and I caught up with a friend from a local non-profit, Raksha, which is a shelter for South Asian women receiving domestic abuse. Most epically, I defied the roads and christened them with my presence.

Human on bike or automobile? Who will be the victor?

I don't know, but I'll sure be sore tomorrow.