I am now in my second week of student teaching at Freshwater School. It's amazing. I have the best mentor ever. The kids are super nice and there's tons of creative freedom.
The only problem with it is that it's located 8 miles away from my house. I can't walk there. I have to drive.
Here are the alternatives to driving somewhere daily:
1. Take the bus. Except no buses go there.
2. Carpool. I wish. I tried. My mentor also lives in Arcata but she has kids that are stressful to get ready in the morning so I can't ride with her. The other student teacher at that school lives in Samoa, on the opposite side of the school, so that's out.
3. Bike there. Hmm. There's a possibility. Putting aside time to exercise as it gets me to a place I need to be? Count me in! And I'd be so hardcore, biking to work! I probably wouldn't go the whole way. I would probably park in Sunny Brae, after the big giant hills, and proceed up and down the moderate hills to Freshwater. Okay, I thought. This could work.
Or so I thought. Because I don't actually have a bike. I used to. But I didn't use it. So I kind of (stupidly) left it in a place where it could easily be stolen because I figured it wouldn't be such a loss. (I'd gotten it for free from my first roommate.)
But wait, said my smart brain. Maybe I can rent a bike!
My friend said, "Yeah, try the bike library!" I said, "Didn't that close like three years ago?" He said, "I don't think it did!" I said, "Well, I'll try to go there then."
It sure didn't look open to me. It looked like a rusty shed with bike wheels everywhere. Then I went to the bike shop. I said, "Do you guys rent bikes?" The guy said, "Not this time of the year. And we only rent bikes out for tours. Nobody around here rents bikes." And then he decided to condescendingly state that the bikes at that shop run upwards of $390. Thanks for rubbing it in that I shouldn't be there, friend.
That was highly disappointing because I'd spent about two hours walking around, combing the blocks of Arcata trying to find the bike library. (At least that, plus running in the frost at 6am this morning for 15 minutes, means I got the exercise I wanted today?) And just to find that there's no place I can deposit $30 for the use of a bike for 6 months.
Oh wait, I can just buy a bike. Oh wait, no I can't. The whole purpose of not driving was to save on gas. And save the air. But it looks like I lose and am trapped in the cycle of environmental irresponsibility, no pun intended.
Maybe if I'm really lucky I'll find a friend of a friend with a decent bike they're not using. But I'm not getting my hopes up. What a disappointing day indeed.
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3 comments:
from what i remember the bike library is located on the railroad tracks right next to the dumpster where jamie lived last year. i dont remember the street, but it was an odd little place.
rollerskates, maybe? or a camel? the kids would really respect you if you showed up on a camel.
not that i'm saying jamie lived in a dumpster. i meant, the library was near the dumpster near where she lived.
okay.
Yeah, I walked by it and saw it. It was just a bunch of sad rusty wheels and bike frames on the ground, though. I'll try and go by there on Saturday to see if it ever really opens, because that would sure be swell.
I would be the most badass music teacher riding to school on a camel. I might smell kind of funny all day, though. I guess I would on a bike, too.
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