First of all, there were A LOT of people at the bike class. I thought I would be the only one, or maybe one of 2 or 3. Nope. There were 23 people in the class! Most of them have been riding for years, and were taking the course as a refresher, or to learn more about different aspects of safety and the law. Regardless of that, cyclists are some of the nicest people I have ever met! They were kind, patient, and willing to explain and demonstrate things that were confusing. They showed us some of the equipment that works best, and why they like using those brands/items. I made sure to write it all down. Additionally, I even had one of the guys in the class offer to meet me at the lake and ride around with me a few times so we could discuss what it's like to ride in a group, and what to expect.
The second thing I liked about the class is that they described cycling as an activity rather than a sport. It's true. If cycling were only for sport, we wouldn't see little kids riding their bikes to and from school, or people crusing down the beach front. Bicycling can be used for all sorts of activities, not just racing. That's why we have things like bike lanes! One of the instructors even has a friend who uses their bike to go to Costco, just to show it can be done!
(This isn't her, I just found this picture on the internet.)
So, my bike class continues next weekend. We are going to be going on a ride through traffic, and maybe even a little bit on the freeway. (yikes!) We're going to learn about bike maintenance and how to change tires. You know, all the things I've been interested in knowing. I'm grateful to have found this class, and people who are willing to teach and train!