My part starts at 1:14:
I have to keep reminding myself that I did this for the children. Hooray for Camp Quest! Take that, PZ!
And no, I swear I’m not a chain smoker. I lost my voice from having too much fun at the Secular Student Alliance conference. And yes, that’s the farthest I rode the bike. As in typical Midwestern fashion, a thunderstorm popped up and started to produce a torrential downpour.
Thanks, Ashley, for making the video!
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TerranRich
August 22, 2011 at 5:44 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
The sound levels at the beginning nearly killed my ears! lol But you seemed to learn it pretty fast. I’m teaching my 4-year-old son how to ride a bike. At least you didn’t need training wheels! ;-)
Ajb47
August 22, 2011 at 6:02 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
This looks like a good way to learn:http://www.rei.com/expertadvic…I just need to get my kids to try it.
KTSA
August 22, 2011 at 6:16 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Ya shuda moved to Sacramento…all the cool kids ride bikes here. Awesome buddy.Kriss
blainehiggy
August 22, 2011 at 6:18 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Well…that’s not really riding a bike. Once you can pedal and do a few circles and figure 8′s while pedaling then you can claim victory.Keep with it – once you learn you’ll really enjoy bike riding. Probably…maybe…maybe not.
Pepijn
August 22, 2011 at 6:20 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
This is what happens when it rains in my country… :-)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…
Annie
August 22, 2011 at 6:23 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Awesome! You learned rather quickly.
pete084
August 22, 2011 at 6:43 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
You’re not ready for Amsterdam yet, that place is bike mania, and bloody dangerous for a novice.
Izzy Leonard
August 22, 2011 at 6:57 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Your family makes fun of you? You mean the people who were supposed to teach you in the first place? That is fucked up!
Vlmetiva
August 22, 2011 at 7:38 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
That was really entertaining :D
Gregory Marshall
August 22, 2011 at 7:42 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
My 12 year son does not ride a bike, I have offered to teach him several times and he wants no part of it. Maybe Jen is the same way. He also loves pokemon, so he has a lot in common with Jen.
Thorn
August 22, 2011 at 7:59 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Hey good work on the learning to ride a bike thing. I only learnt to ride one myself three years ago and I’m 28. I was extraordinarily pleased with myself at the first stretch of about a mile I rode on my own, having been gathering confidence about it on my little brothers bike over a couple of days previously. A month or so later I bought my own bike and started working on doing that on a regular basis, then going longer and longer distances, and finally figuring out what it is I really want in a bike and discovering what different set-ups mean to efficiency and comfort and learning about bicycle maintenance and repair then I bought a bike that reflected that. These days I clock up more bicycle miles than car miles, which only gets much use on very long journeys and when I’m expecting to transport heavy items, which is usually over 100 miles a week occasionally up to 73 miles in a single day. I never dreamed I’d ever get that far when I started out, I’m not a skinny cyclist type on flat land I’m a large heavy man on hilly country but I stuck at and have no regrets about doing so with the outrageous increase in the price of fuel and the massive increase in muscle tone in my legs. I’m thinking I ought to take up boxing or something make the top half match.Goodluck in further cycling should you choose to do so.
Tom
August 22, 2011 at 8:10 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Just in case the usual anti-science types are floating around. No this does not provide evidence that pokemon enthusiasts cannot ride bikes. No more than rain in texas proves prayer works.
Mike Brownstein
August 22, 2011 at 9:25 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Next, I teach you how to inline skate…maybe JT will need a lesson too :-D
Jen
August 22, 2011 at 9:33 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Oh, they tried. Trust me, they tried. I just lost interest in falling over very quickly, and would rather sit inside and read. Hence the teasing :P
Jen
August 22, 2011 at 9:33 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?! :P
August Pamplona
August 22, 2011 at 9:54 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Congratulations!
Vicky L.
August 22, 2011 at 9:54 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Yay Jen! Believe it or not, it’s easier to balance yourself when you go faster :)
Daniel Schealler
August 22, 2011 at 10:01 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Of course.It was a montage!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…
Daniel Schealler
August 22, 2011 at 10:01 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Frankly?Yes.Yes I am.^_^
the_Siliconopolitan
August 22, 2011 at 10:01 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Who’s the cute beardy?He makes me want to shave, since I can never look that awesome.I agree it was cruel of you ‘friends’ to hire the show-off to do run rings around you.
the_Siliconopolitan
August 22, 2011 at 10:02 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Yay physics!
Daniel Schealler
August 22, 2011 at 10:02 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
And for the record, I’m pretty sure your parents will still find a way to tease you about this.That’s what parents do.
Alex
August 22, 2011 at 10:05 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Come visit Davis, CA sometime. It’s like a bike capital of America (got nothing on the bikes in China or Amsterdam, though….)
Jen
August 22, 2011 at 10:06 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Hahaha. He’s my special friend :P My special friend who’s ego is going to be inflated by this comment.
Brendan Murphy
August 22, 2011 at 10:12 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Me! :)We didn’t hire him, he just spotted an “opportunity.”
Brendan Murphy
August 22, 2011 at 10:13 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Just because I bike a lot does not make me special. >_>
Brendan Murphy
August 22, 2011 at 10:14 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Portland?
Sarah Maddox
August 22, 2011 at 10:15 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Congrats, Jen! Isn’t it a wonderful feeling? And kudos to Brendan being the cart in front of the horse…
AmandaStock
August 22, 2011 at 10:22 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Awesome, congratulations on learning to ride a bike! I had the same problem with waterskiing until a few years ago when I finally broke down in the face of all the teasing and learned. I love it now and am sure you will come to love the freedom and fun of cycling :)
Annie
August 22, 2011 at 10:40 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
That was awesome!
Euan
August 22, 2011 at 10:57 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Safest country in the world for all traffic, though. Children learn to ride at school, it’s part of their education.
Yellow Hatguy
August 23, 2011 at 12:48 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I concur. -1 to bucket list.
Ted Herrlich
August 23, 2011 at 1:07 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Congrats Jen! Cycling is a blast, as my granddaughter says. She just graduated from training wheels and can’t keep off her bike. I have to do two trips around the neighborhood after work so she can ‘practice’ more. Enjoy! TedTed Herrlichhttp://sciencestandards.blogsp…
facebook-740856118
August 23, 2011 at 3:00 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Congratulations! Better late than never!
Karl Broman
August 23, 2011 at 3:54 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
way to go!
skepgineer
August 23, 2011 at 6:46 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
If you learn to navigate a traffic-cone slalom with no hands, I will donate $1000 to Secular Student Alliance.
Oiram71317
August 23, 2011 at 6:49 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Yeah, I was smiling proudly, like I did when I watched my kids learn, but when I noticed the guy in the back, it turned into one big evil laugh.
Jen
August 23, 2011 at 7:30 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Even I don’t love the SSA that much :P
Svlad Cjelli
August 23, 2011 at 9:42 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
But rain in Texas does prove prayer works! D:
Svlad Cjelli
August 23, 2011 at 9:43 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I forgot how to ride a bike.
Daniel Gross
August 23, 2011 at 10:55 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Excellent! As an ancient geezer who’s been an avid bike rider for over 60 years, I applaud your success!
Ian Andreas Miller
August 23, 2011 at 11:10 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Macte virtute esto! Now that wasn’t so bad, was it?
Nick Lowe
August 23, 2011 at 1:28 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Your seat wasn’t high enough. It should have been up about two inches- the difference in the feel of the center of gravity will make a huge difference in your confidence levels. The hardest part of learning to ride a bike is overcoming the initial fear, the unsettled feeling of something completely unusual moving in ways you’re not acclimated too. Once you can get past that, it’s all muscle memory and smooth (well as smooth as the surface you’re on) sailing. Congrats!
Gregory Marshall
August 23, 2011 at 2:25 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Much like my son, and the teasing doesn’t work only strengthens the resolve. I actually have used your account as an inspiration on this. I am like, hey, if Jen is an adult and doesn’t want to ride a bike, more power to my son.P.S. I never teased him much (his twin does though), because I figured if he decides he wants to he will.
Poolagirl
August 23, 2011 at 2:30 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I found you via another blogger (ornerypest). Thanks for the laugh! You are going to do just fine on that bike!
Georgia Sam
August 23, 2011 at 4:26 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I was going to say the same thing about the seat height. Your quadriceps will tire & get cramps more quickly if the seat isn’t high enough.
Mike McCreight
August 23, 2011 at 5:04 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Good job baby. I knew you had it in you. Soon you’ll be trading your car in for a new bike.
the_Siliconopolitan
August 23, 2011 at 8:19 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
“special friend”?Damn, why are all the good ones always gay or taken?Oh … actually … scratch that first one …
the_Siliconopolitan
August 23, 2011 at 8:21 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Having the seat low enough to reach the ground is a good place to start. I doubt Jen’d strain her muscles all that much while still getting the hang of balance.
JayKen Knotstirred
August 24, 2011 at 7:45 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Took me 2 years to learn to ride a bike!Lots of crashes and blood. Congrats on slaying that demon!
ChristopherTK
August 24, 2011 at 9:04 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
OK Jen, before you know it, you will be signing up for century rides for fundraising and charities!Since you mentioned biking though; what is the deal with Indianapolis & biking on the sidewalks? I’ve never been to a city that thought bikers on sidewalks are a good idea.The historic trail was nice but even that didn’t make sense at times.
Daniel Schealler
August 24, 2011 at 9:07 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I can see it now.Pledge to commit $X for every foot of the longest distance Jen can go in a day without taking her feet off the pedals or falling over… With a brief video showing the highlights.She’ll make a killing – hell, I’d sign up for that.
Karaoke, First Times, and Some Thoughts On Adventure | Greta Christina's Blog
October 4, 2011 at 4:02 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
[...] grow a beard, Matt Dillahunty had to do the Atheist Experience show in drag, Jen McCreight had to learn to ride a bicycle on video, and JT Eberhard had to wax his legs and shave his head. And I had to pop my karaoke cherry, and [...]