rollin', rollin', rollin'....

A lot of you have asked what happened what with the stolen bike.
I do not know what happened with with the stolen bike.
But for about a week I whizzed around campus on eight small wheels (my rollerblades) until I got a new set of wheels (a new bike). While most people sort of semi-understand using a bicycle as primary mode of transportation, the "rollerblade-thing" really threw people off. Some laughed, some shook their heads, many put it off as "poor thing growing up outside the country like that has messed with her head."
I have to say, on the long run (roll?) a bike definitely beats rollerblades when it comes to transportation, though it can be fun to roll right into class... In my defense, none of the buildings forbid rollerblading inside. And I was being careful (most of the time :-D).
And yes, your mental images of me on rollerblades, on a campus are probably quite accurate.
While I was out bike shopping I notice several large poster which are advocating cycling. Most of their arguments circle around the fact that most trips are very close to home (within cycling distance - though I have learned that cycling distance is not the same here as it was back in Germany), it saves a lot of gas (though it would be interesting to calculate how much you'll pay for extra food, but then again I suppose pasta is cheap) and that it's really healthy.
Apparently, it drastically reduces the probability of a heart attack and increases life expectancy and a couple of other things. Lots of statistics. Interesting statistics. Numbers and stuff. Like if you cycle so-and-so many miles a week it goes up this-and-this many percent.
Well, I've done the math. Apparently, I'm going to live for ever.