Like most bike commuting bloggers, I’d love to see my community become the next Portland, Amsterdam or Copenhagen. Unfortunately, in Flagstaff this past week everyone seemed to be behind the wheel of a car, including yours truly – I was only on the Breezer twice this week.

Despite the lack of inspiration on the streets, I did run into this young woman window shopping at Aspen Sports, her bright orange cruiser resting on a street tree a few feet away. The scene looked so natural and spontaneous. One doesn’t need to think very much about whether to stop at the cafe or the boutique when one is on a bike. No real worries about parking or feeding a meter. As I approached, my eyes zeroed in on her delightful saddlebag. She told me that a relative got it for her in Amsterdam. Pang of jealousy. I stepped in for a close-up and noted that it was waterproof. Her saddlebags was overflowing with “stuff”, and I wondered what she carried around with her but thought it gauche to inquire.

I spied her bike bell, too, embellished with the image of a dinosaur.

More: continued here