10.15.07
Staci’s impersonation of a Dutch girl on a bike
Well if you know anything about Amsterdam (or the Netherlands) it is probably that people love their bikes. In fact, bikes are everywhere! You should be more scared of bikes than cars when walking through the city. You might recall from a previous post by Jeff that I get to ride my bike to and from school each day. Since we moved to the “nicer” apartment my ride has doubled. And despite Jeff’s earlier claim I actually bike 5.5km each way. Not that I am complaining. I figure my ass and thighs will thank me after a year of this exercise (and my ankle is holding up pretty well – thanks to my surgeon and physical therapists for preparing me for this!).
So the other day I decided to try impersonation #1 of a Dutch girl on a bike: ride it while wearing a skirt. I woke that morning and decided that was the day to take on the challenge. I pulled on my skirt and knee high boots (another Dutch girl must) and set off for school. Despite my paranoia I never flashed anyone..skirt did not unexpectedly fly up into my face blinding me, causing me to crash in the bushes in an utter heap of twisted flesh, books and bike. No, no, I made the trip to and from school without a peep show for anyone…even when the younger kids on their scooters whizzed past me on the bike path (I feel like a grandma when I see them…I wanna yell out “slow down you little whipper snapper!” but alas I just scowl into the petrol cloud that billows from their tailpipe as they disappear onto the horizon). I comfort myself in knowing that my thighs are getting stronger while their ass is getting no benefit from sitting on a motorized contraption leaving the rest of us in the dust on the bike path.
Other days, I ride to school on my bike in the rain with gray skies blocking out the sun and think, hmmm what is the weather like in Ohio right now? or anywhere but here? So after repeatedly getting drenched, I decided to try Dutch girl impersonation #2, riding bike with umbrella! Well, I quickly learned that if the rain is coming down with any sort of strength an umbrella is fruitless, as the rain likes to change angles every few seconds. Combine that with strong winds and you truly take your life into your own hands with this stunt! Needless to say, I arrived at school nearly as drenched as if I had left the umbrella at home. Impersonation #3 was going to HEMA and buying a rain suit! I am sure you will wanna see pics of me in that!
Anywho, biking can mostly be a treat. There are some gorgeous canal views just on my bike ride to school. There are lots of natural areas since we are living south of Amsterdam proper. I see herons all the time. Absolutely gorgeous. They sit on the bridges of the bike path, peering down into the water below looking for lunch. In fact, I’ve even seen them in the grassy fields off the bike path picking up unsuspecting field mice with their long thin bills. Fortunately, my gawking and neck craning to view them has not resulted in an accident, yet! 
I’ve gotta say I enjoy my bike and surprisingly have not missed my car at all! Ah the joys of a bike friendly town.