Finding New Forms of Transportation

October started off a little rough for me. I always dread the first of the month since Rent is due and rent here is far from cheap I always hate seeing the dip in my bank account. Well October's dip ended up being far larger then I ever expected and the final sign that "its time!"

No need to get into the chunk of money that went into getting my car out of the tow lot, lets just say, I got my car back in my possession, paid rent and cried, a lot! But this unexpected expense opened my eyes to the reality that it really is time to sell my car!

Transportation is a funny thing. Growing up in small town Iowa, you kinda rely on cars to get you from point A to point B. Need to go to the store, need to get in the car; want to go to the movies, get in the car; friends house, you're gonna drive...you get the point. Before you even learn how to drive, the car is the most typical/logical way to get anywhere. As a kid I had a bike and rollerblades, but those were for fun. Not really transportation. We would bike around on a sunny summer day and really have no "point B" in mind. When I moved to Eldridge, I do remember walking a little more. I would walk to elementary school but even some days in there, I would have a ride. I started playing Tenor Sax in jr. high and clearly wouldn't dream of carrying that thing home, so of course would get a ride. And, as soon as I was a freshman I got my school drivers permit and DROVE to school. Now I have never calculated this before but according to Google Maps, my home was 0.6 miles from school. Not even a mile. Google claims i could walk there in 10 min and drive in 3 min. And yes, even though parking was a bitch and traffic leaving school at the end of the day was a headache, I drove those 0.6 miles every single day. Also, lets remember, I lived in a VERY SAFE neighborhood. Walking after dark, not an issue.

When I moved to Stevens-Point, WI, a car was in order. Another small midwest town that was a half hour/45 min drive to get anywhere (food, shopping etc). The car was also great for the 5.5 hour drive back home once a month, ah those were the days!

Chicago started changing my mind. I no longer NEEDED a car. In order to go home I someone had to come pick me up which was a bummer, but I didn't NEED the car in the city. I became accustomed to the "El" and buses. Not bad. Being a student there part of our tuition was a pass to the train and buses for unlimited rides all semester. I also lived less then a block away from food, groceries, coffee, and the Red, Orange and Green train lines. Easy! 8 months after living there though I "needed" my car to leave town so I rented a parking space for the month...one month turned into almost 3 years with my car. When I moved to a new apartment it came with a parking spot, so why would I ever get rid of it? I drove to friends house, the store (so I didn't have to carry groceries back of course) and really, everywhere. I was back to being one with the car. Shoot!

The move to SF brought on a lot of expenses so I thought "hmm if I sell my car I could get that money and then have a little more of a 'nest egg'" But then was informed by a teacher who lived in SF for over 20 years that if I have/use a car in Chicago I would be lost with out a car in SF. I listened and drove my car across the country to SF. And I am glad I did. I ended up living in East Bay (less than 10 miles from the city) but far enough that a car became a necessity once again. Everyday I sat in my car through morning and evening rush hour traffic (a good 3 hours a day, what a waste). I spent $10 a day to park it near work, I put over $30 of gas in it each week, it was depressing. All my hard work was going to this big material which I was so sick up.

I finally moved into the city in a PERFECT location. A few problems arose though: I don't have CA license Plates so therefore I can't get city parking tags, and I can't really afford to switch my plates to CA so I am stuck parking miles away from my house and moving it once a week.

This has been an interesting task the past 6 month. Where to park the car. I was parking it a mile away up this HUGE hill. I mean the hill is so steep that I would seriously have to take breaks while walking up it. That got old, fast! So then I figured out the Mission distract, while not the cleanest or really safest (just a lot of bums and drug addicts roaming the streets...I am never in danger) areas, i was there a lot since Paul lives in the Mission and all of my dance rehearsals, yoga and pilates are there as well! Flat streets are my kind of streets! Great, I found parking, but that is all I do, park! I move my car 1 to 2 times a week to a new parking spot because of street cleaning. Usually in those days we take Paul's laundry to my place to do (I have a washer and dryer and he doesn't) and then I go back to parking it. This is unsafe and a sure way to get broken into, towed or even stolen...

While I have LOVED my little Lancer, its been good to me, the stress and expense of it is just too much these days. The .6 miles I could have walked to school back in the day seem like nothing as I recently calculated that I, on average walk 10 miles a day these days. And really, I love it! So the car is now on the market. I have a few people who are potentially interested (friends actually) Which would be great because if by chance I would need it, I am sure I could borrow the good ol Lancer for a spin around the block or a shopping spree at Target (no Target in the city...must drive 30 min outside...wah wah!).

Now I have played the walking game for about 6 months and it has not been bad to me. But the busier I get the more I realize that I need an addition solution. So now I am on a mission, find a bike. Did you know that GOOD street bike can cost $1,000- $2,000!! No joke! I about had a heart attack when starting research. So I am reaching out to ya'all for advice. I have had some really great advice from JoHo's brother who knows a lot about bikes, but this purchase is going to be a big deal I think. I would like to not spend more than $500 if at all possible, and even that will have to come AFTER the car is sold even though I want it NOW! :) But in a city that bike rule, I am ready to join in and become that "biker chick!" ;) Cheap (in the long run), easy, good work out and much quicker than walking! I can't wait to truly feel like a San Franciscan! Any advice on good road bikes (for a reasonable price) send my way!