I want to ride my bicycle

I'm in the market for a new bike.

And honestly it's probably the best investment I could make right now. Think about it...most standard bikes are relatively inexpensive (I'm not looking for one of those high class, fancy models), they get you where you need to go, they help protect the enviornment, and they are a good way to stay healthy. Chicago is a fairly bike-friendly city, and it's easy enough to get around. Another positive: It allows you to see a city from a completely different point of view. Admittedly, seeing the city you live in from another perspective may or may not interest you. But think about traveling around other cities on the seat of a bike...I can only imagine the experience that awaits.

My boyfriend had (or maybe has, I think he still wants to do it) a desire to bike through Europe. Now, I don't know if I have the physical capacity to attempt something like that, but mentally I'm dying to do it! Cars and trains allow you to see the countryside and cities, but from the safety of an enclosed space. Being on a bike puts you one on one with the elements, you can switch your route at the last minute and take some trail that is off the beaten path. Bikes allow you into places a car couldn't fit. It's exciting to think about how different your travel experience would be if you just changed your mode of transportation.

For now, I just want a bike to ride around the city, down to the beach or park, and maybe even to work once and a while. I'll look into the Europe excursion sometime in the future.