Urban Life

Still thinking about bicycles and cars 🚲.

I still often think about going car less for a few years and fixing up a good reliable bicycle to get around town. I often think it would be a great way to save money and get to know my community better and become healthier. The thing with owning a car is there is always a temptation to drive further than necessary, as much of the cost of motoring is sunk whether or not the car is parked or your on the go constantly.

I’ve long preferred to walk or take the bus around town. For a while I was big into bicycling until my bike kept breaking. In recent years when I camp I often will park, and stay at the same site for multiple days, instead preferring walks and activities close to camp, where I can get to know the land better, have less set up and take down and be more relaxed. I kind of like being a homebody more and more.

While I like traveling to the Adirondacks for weekends in the wilderness, the motoring habit is unhealthy both to my body and my finances. I am super attracted to the idea of saving an extra $100,000 or more if I gave up motoring for ten years. That extra money would boost my savings and get me closer to my off grid dream. It would reduce a lot of stress in my life and make me happier. But I don’t know, there is a lot of opportunity costs in giving up motoring – namely potential trips to the wilderness – but also real benefits to my stress that and sanity.