my beloved bicycle is gone...

Almost 4 years ago I bought a bicycle when I first came to Japan. Since then it has been through a lot...within the first 6months it was even hit by a car but managed to get away with only a slight bend to the frame. It has somehow evaded theft and vandalism, which is strange because my ex-colleague Josh was on his 5th bicycle in 5 years when he left.

My tire ran flat and no amount of air would resuscitate it, leaving me little choice but to give it away for free to someone who was handy at fixing things. It would have cost almost 40 dollars to repair it at a bike shop whereas a new one is a mere 100 dollars. Now, in its place is a shiny silver mama-chari...old-fashioned bicycle with a huge basket, perfect for grocery shopping.

It is kind of 'uncool' to ride such a 'granny' bike but I find it so comfortable and my back can stand straight. The hipper, cooler bikes tend to be bad for the back as one needs to arch his or her back when riding it. I go everywhere heart healthily, on foot and by bike - I figure if I got a car, I would be going many places and shopping my heart out. Though sooner or later it will become inevitable and I will write a new blog entry on 'my new car.'

Notice how easy it is to mount the mama-chari bike. With good fenders, baskets, built-in locks, and kick-stands, Mamachari are very practical! Also...the chances of someone wanting to steal this (versus say, an AIRWALK bike) are very very slim! Pictured in the basket are: Japanese radish (daikon) and Japanese leeks (much thinner than the Western variety).