Officially Car Free!

Wow, it has been awhile since I've posted! Life keeps me very busy, and work is insane. Time is flying, and spring is here! Current happenings:

I SOLD MY CAR!

Yep, I did it- I am officially "car-free" since last Sunday. Kinda scary, but a good excuse to splurge on a few upgrades for my bikes (like Brooks saddle, custom wood fenders, etc) and a new sweet bike trailer . To keep myself honest, I will start an online posting of my transportation costs, ie. what I spend on cabs, the bus, and treating friends to lunch/dinner/events in lieu of cash for gas, parking, etc.

My first expenditure was this morning- needed a cab to the Flagstaff Food Kitchen to make sandwiches. Since I have the keys, and the bus doesn't run early enough (and it is still cold here in the am) I called a cab to take Luke and I at 6:10am. Cost: $10 ($8 + tip). Since a delivery was made to Catholic Charities (1 block from our house), Luke and I caught a ride back and walked a block to our house. I then grabbed my bike and went to work. I plan on biking to the Kitchen with my trailer in the future, and doing the downtown deliveries by bike. Getting the logistics worked out :)

I am excited and scared too. I got my licence in June of 1976, and have pretty much owned a car continually ever since. The times that I didn't wasn't by choice! One more thing that I will pledge to do for the next year- not purchase any type of motor powered transportation (ie- a scooter, motorcycle, electric cart, etc.) Anything that has a motor requires that it be driven/stored/insured and that defeats the purpose of this experiment. I will, however, rent or borrow a vehicle from time to time and take public transit or ride my bike. Just no ownership.

To my friends who are providing moral support and rides- thank you! By helping someone go car-free, you are doing your part too! Not everyone can or should give up their cars- but some of us are lucky enough that we are at a point in our lives where we can at least try. I am lucky to be in that place right now.