Carlite And Carfree With Kona Lisa

My darling husband has an infectious attitude in regards to cycling.  He isn't a "jersey guy".  You know them, they have their freshly shaved legs wedged into matching cycling bibs and wear a "I-might-be-sponsored-by-Chipotle" jersey.  No, he's not one of those guys.  In fact, since the carport massacre of 2010, he doesn't even own a road bike.  (RIP-Giant OCR)

BUT--my husband does think a bicycle can make our family better. (And we've got a pretty great family.) Because of this mentality we have gotten rid of the second car and increased the number of two wheeled transporters in the family.  And because he believes in the power of the bike, I believe too.

Last week, I made the suggestion that our family integrate carless weekends into our life.  It's not completely feasible to get rid of the car every weekend, but for most, our family will be quite successful.

What will going carlite for our family by going carfree on weekends mean?

First, it will be an instant way to make memories as a family.  Our children are old enough to enjoy the rides and are becoming bike enthusiasts themselves.  Joy and adventures go hand in hand.

Secondly, it becomes a built-in opportunity to create a healthier lifestyle.  I am the first to admit I need to loose weight, but I never find the time.  Building the bike in to travel means I am burning calories to get to and from the grocery store.

Of course carfree weekends equate to less gas being used and thus less money being spent on travel.  It will take a while to offset the cost of the Ute in gas money saved, but eventually it will.  And at the current prices it will be sooner than later.

I still love Forester Gump, our trusty Subaru, and all 260,000 miles on him.  I have a new number one in my life, Kona Lisa.  She's pretty and strong.  And I'm pretty sure Chris is right, she will make our family better.