Distances on a Bike and by Car

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When I think of going to the Roche Au Dade via ferrata I often think "but it's far". That's when I am going by car. I think the same when I consider going to St George, Fort L'écluse and other places. The paradox is that when I think of going to these places, by bike, now, I don't.

When you go somewhere by car, it costs money, and time. By bike it costs time, but that time is the experience. When you cycle from Nyon to the Col De La combe Blanche, before descending towards Mijoux, and then back up the other side, towards Morez, the ride is the experience. You can take quieter roads, in so far as possible. You can look at the landscape. You can hear the sounds, or the silences.

In a car you're looking at traffic, you'r thinking of petrol, you're thinking about where to park. You're also using podcasts, audiobooks or other, to keep you entertained.

On the bike you don't have that "commute" for lack of a better word, because the entire activity is the activity. When you drive, the drive is the drive, when you take a train, the train journey is the train journey. With the right people the drive, and the train journey are part of the pleasant experience.

If I went for a joyride, in the car, or on the petrol scooter, when I had one, then the ride has an environmental cost and impact, but the same joyride on a bike is with a minimal impact on the environment.

Yesterday, with LeCercle, we were three people. We had no route because rain kept being forecast. It makes sense to be flexible when it might rain, and a ride might be kept short.

Safe Routes for More Rides

During the ride there are some roads that are nice and quiet. These roads are nice to cycle on. Other roads, that are also quiet are less pleasant. Cars are driven by people who are in a rush, that beep at cyclists, pass too close, unsafely. The Jura is really nice for cycling, but it would be nice to have voie verte, dedicated for cyclists.

Too often, a joy ride on a bike, is a gamble. Will cars pass me with due care and attention or will they sprint by? Will they break, to pass safely, or will they beep, to pass as if they are on a rush, on a Sunday.

One of the reasons I didn't want to cycle to Morez is that I know that the road from La Cure to St Cergue, and vice versa, is dangerous for cyclists. I was worried that the climb from Morez to Prémanon would be unplesant. It's a quieter road but every so often you hear a car speeding up the road, and you know it's going to pass you without slowing.

I almost always turn around because in my experience, when drivers see a human staring back at them, they are slightly more cautious.

And Finally

Yesterday when I was descending the Molard climb I slowed down because I don't want to race down roads, especially those I don't know well yet. That's a danger I control. The danger posed by cars is one that I do not control. I wear bright colours, I have a radar, and when it beeps I look behind me. I want cars to see me notice them. I want cars to think twice about skimming me.

Most cyclists look for quiet roads, and quiet routes. Most cyclists want to minimise their time on high traffic roads. One of the reasons to ride with groups, is that collectively we have The Cycling Knowledge to use a London Cab term. We have a mental map of quiet and low traffic routes that are more pleasant to joyride along.

Cycling is joyriding, but rather than petrol we use electrolytes, gels, snacks, and with some, sweets. Cycling is a way of getting from A to A, whilst seeing the local landscape. Ironically, the further you range on a bike, the further is included as "local".

And finally it amuses me that a distance I think is too far, with the car, is fine on a bicycle. It is an interesting paradox.