Fahrrad ist gut*

Guten tag! This time last week I was skiing in the German Alps, on the glacier at Garmisch, Germany's highest point at about 9,000' elevation. The weather was unseasonably warm (hello, global warming?) and beautiful -- a little too warm for great skiing.

The ancient town of Garmisch -- about 1100 years old! -- is charming. We especially enjoyed the pedestrian mall in the town center. And I really got a kick out of all the bikes! So many people were getting around on bikes! Old, young, families, you name it.

This top photo is of a typical commuter bike, with a basket behind the seat. Just about everyone had such a basket -- easily snaps into the rear rack. I have a similar basket myself, so I was feeling very smug. This bike is parked right outside a grocery store -- the shoppers load their items directly from their shopping carts into their bike baskets. The stores there don't provide free bags, as we do here. :-)

The other thing I wanted to share is this photo that I took right outside a local bike shop. Have you figured out what it is? I thought this was so clever! It's a 24/7 vending machine for bike tire innertubes! How great is that?! The stores there all close at 6 p.m., so this type of extended availability is such a great idea.

*Hopefully, this says something like, "bicycle is good"!

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Diana Sun is Director of Communications for Arlington County, a walking commuter, a new bicylist, and a happy resident of the urban village of Clarendon.

Comments

[Charmaine]

Hi - I came across your blog and see you haven't updated it in a few months - hope you are still biking on that nice bike you bought? :) Especially now that the weather FINALLY has gotten better. :) I bike to work every day of the year, just about, and LOVE it! With the high price of gas, I don't know how people are able to do it and keep their cars going... I gave up my car last Nov. and use my bike & public transportation to get around, and also have a lifetime membership with Zipcar. :) It's really simplified my life, though sometimes it takes a while longer to get places, but I have time to read books now, which I didn't before. :)