Going slow....

Slowly does it...                     Photo credits Jay Rochlin of Tucson Velo

Just found a gem of an article by Jay Rochlin of Tucson Velo which I want to share.  Interestingly named How to ride your bike slower
Huh??  Why would anyone want to go slow?  I get that alot when I ride around our sunny island.  So I am glad to read that Jay shares the same mindset and some favorite equipment - Keen sandals, checked! Brooks B17, checked, Mud guards, checked.... oh oh.. I wear Lycra... while he wear cotton... anyway.. I find that he did a fabulous job articulating his thoughts and also a "how to ride slow list". I like to add more how to ride slow too..

1) Put something non=performance and fun on your bike. Flowers, birds, basket, mud guards..  For me,  I put a small pig mascot. My favorite is a pig titled.. "Pigs can fly"
2) Bar end shifters - This are not suitable to shift on the fly. So u have to be really slow and deliberate. Totally low tech but nice for slow ride.
3) Tag to a friend and chat along the way. Not just shouting "car back", but really chat. About anything, the weather,  food, design... This will slow down your riding speed and u can really know a friend.
4) Volunteer as a Sweeper on rides.. haha.. yah I am looking for help on rides. But really, playing sweep allows you to chat with the other riders. Sweep is actually the toughest role and it is not easy to ride slowly. I suggest again.. to chat with fellow riders and this makes the ride so much more enjoyable.
5)Look, I mean really take it all in... Bring a camera... to capture the seemingly normal but beautiful surroundings. You will find beauty everywhere... and you will ride slower, definitely.

Enjoy the wonderful article by Jay!