<commit_before>---
layout: post
title: "Always look on the bright side of life"
date: 2017-02-25    
excerpt: "Do you see the glass half full or half empty?"
tag:
- bicycles
---

## I see a glass half full

![pinkbike]({{ site.url }}/images/blog/pinkbike.jpg)

I am a realist optimist.

I am always looking on the bright side of life … thank you [Monty Python!](https://youtu.be/jHPOzQzk9Qo)

I think my new lifestyle of choosing cycling adds to the joy in my life.

![bikesign]({{ site.url }}/images/blog/bikesign.jpg)

In the spring of 2013 I returned from a [volunteer trip to India](http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/jsquaredink/1/tpod.html) and I was determined to ride my old bicycle to the office. Why? Because I had lost inches, not weight, during my month away.

Why? Because I was moving all day long. It was also hot & I was eating a vegetarian diet. But when I returned I wanted to keep that size and movement in my life. Active transportation gave me that.

It seems the planets were aligned as I won a bicycle during a 2013 Cycle Toronto Bike Month Contest.  I was cycling & taking photos with the hashtag #lovemycommute because I was so happy riding my bicycle! So I went to [Sweet Pete’s Bike Shop](http://www.sweetpetes.com/) who had donated the bicycle & to pick up Black Beauty. A beautiful GIANT ‘Seek’ commuter bicycle. The same kind that <NAME> rents any time he comes to Toronto. And  I won it!! I never win things. What a signal to keep cycling in my life!!

![xmasbike]({{ site.url }}/images/blog/xmasbike.jpg)

Today I picked up my bicycle from [Hoopdriver Bicycles](http://www.hoopdriver.ca/). With all my hills, I am hard on my brakes so it was time for repairs, tune-up and a raised handlebar because since 2013 ‘Black Beauty’ has transformed into Mad Max with a number of modifications execute by Sweet Pete’s and Hoopdriver.

![betsy]({{ site.url }}/images/blog/betsy.jpg)

Two years ago I purchased Betsy Breezer from [Espresso Cycle](http://espressocycles.ca/) another local bicycle shop. Bicycles are very personal and thus one forms personal relationships with the owners of these bicycle shops – at least I do!  Victor is not only a great guy but also makes The Best Cappuccino!

The thing I love about Betsy is that she’s lovely. I really enjoy riding her around the city shopping on the weekend and buying some tulips to put on the back rack. It’s a step through bicycle with 8 speeds so it’s a relaxed upright ride and I like to dress up when I use this bicycle.

![winterbike]({{ site.url }}/images/blog/winterbike.jpg)

My third bicycle is a unique ‘beater bike’ as it was owned by my [Ward 13 Bikes](https://www.cycleto.ca/ward/13) co-captain and he made many adaptations to it. I use it when it’s snow packed & icy roads as it has steel studded tires.

Do I need any more bicycles?
No.
Do I want another bicycle?
Yes.
What could I possible want and where/when would I ride it??
Well.
I want a [Brompton](http://www.brompton.com/).
Why?
Because “it will change the way you experience the city.”

![nycbike]({{ site.url }}/images/blog/nycbike.jpg)

I already rent local bicycles in cities I visit from New York, Boston and even in the Galapagos!

But I'd love to have a foldable bicycle becaues the website says: “Let a [Brompton](http://www.brompton.com/) take you anywhere - its flexibility allows you to get more out of the city, day and night. Free yourself from the confines of other forms of transport and take in the city around you. Need a change of scene? Just pop a Brompton on a plane, train or in the car to explore further afield.”

Always look on the bright side of life is easier when using pedal power.<commit_msg>story<commit_after>---
layout: post
title: "Always look on the bright side of life"
date: 2017-02-25    
excerpt: "Do you see the glass half full or half empty?"
tag:
- bicycles
---

## I see a glass half full

![pinkbike]({{ site.url }}/images/blog/pinkbike.jpg)

I am a realist optimist.

I am always looking on the bright side of life … thank you [Monty Python!](https://youtu.be/jHPOzQzk9Qo)

I think my new lifestyle of choosing cycling adds to the joy in my life.

![bikesign]({{ site.url }}/images/blog/bikesign.jpg)

In the spring of 2013 I returned from a [volunteer trip to India](http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/jsquaredink/1/tpod.html) and I was determined to ride my old bicycle to the office. Why? Because I had lost inches, not weight, during my month away.

Why? Because I was moving all day long. It was also hot & I was eating a vegetarian diet. But when I returned I wanted to keep that size and movement in my life. Active transportation gave me that.

It seems the planets were aligned as I won a bicycle during a 2013 [Cycle Toronto](https://www.cycleto.ca/) Bike Month Contest.  I was cycling & taking photos with the hashtag #lovemycommute because I was so happy riding my bicycle! So I went to [Sweet Pete’s Bike Shop](http://www.sweetpetes.com/) who had donated the bicycle to pick up Black Beauty. A beautiful [GIANT](https://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-CA/) ‘Seek’ commuter bicycle. Pete told me it was the same kind that <NAME> rents any time he comes to Toronto. And  I won it!! I never win things. What a signal to keep cycling in my life!!

![xmasbike]({{ site.url }}/images/blog/xmasbike.jpg)

Today I picked up my bicycle from [Hoopdriver Bicycles](http://www.hoopdriver.ca/) because it needed some TLC. My commute to work has a lot of hills therefore I am hard on my brakes so it was time for repairs, tune-up and a raised handlebar. Since 2013 ‘Black Beauty’ has transformed into Mad Max with a number of modifications executed by Sweet Pete’s and Hoopdriver. I keep making changes as my needs change.

![betsy]({{ site.url }}/images/blog/betsy.jpg)

In 2015 I purchased Betsy Breezer from [Espresso Cycle](http://espressocycles.ca/) another local bicycle shop. It was funny because I took my niece to the shop & showed her the Breezer. She was unsure. I took it for a spin & immediately purchased it!

Bicycles are very personal - many of us talk about our bicycles as if they're a friend - and thus one forms personal relationships with the owners of these bicycle shops – at least I do!  Victor is not only a great guy but also makes The Best Cappuccino!

The thing I love about Betsy is that she’s lovely. I really enjoy riding her around the city shopping on the weekend and buying some tulips to put on the back rack. It’s a step through bicycle with 8 speeds so it’s a relaxed upright ride and I like to dress up when I use this bicycle.

![winterbike]({{ site.url }}/images/blog/winterbike.jpg)

My third bicycle is a unique ‘beater bike’ as it was owned by my [Ward 13 Bikes](https://www.cycleto.ca/ward/13) co-captain and he made many adaptations to it. I use it when it’s snow packed and/or icy roads as it has steel studded tires.

Do I need any more bicycles?
No.
Do I want another bicycle?
Yes.
What could I possible want and where/when would I ride it??
Well.
I want a [Brompton](http://www.brompton.com/).
Why?
Because “it will change the way I experience the city.”

![nycbike]({{ site.url }}/images/blog/nycbike.jpg)

I rent local bicycles in cities I visit from New York, Boston and even in the Galapagos!

But I'd love to have a foldable bicycle becaues the website says: “Let a [Brompton](http://www.brompton.com/) take you anywhere - its flexibility allows you to get more out of the city, day and night. Free yourself from the confines of other forms of transport and take in the city around you. Need a change of scene? Just pop a Brompton on a plane, train or in the car to explore further afield.”

Riding a bicycle is freedom to me.

I always look on the bright side of life and it's easier when using pedal power.

What's your bicycle story?
{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.07568748393729119, 'fraction_numerical': 0.007453096890259574, 'mean_word_length': 3.9166140240050535, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 5, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 5, 'https://': 6, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 14, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
{'dir': 'git-commits-cleaned', 'id': '4041658', 'n_tokens_mistral': 2382, 'n_tokens_neox': 2234, 'n_words': 1251}