Tour Du France Is Our Goal!

Drive downtown. Drive past destination. Circle 1 block radius for parking. Drive past destination. Circle 2 block radius. Drive past destination. Circle 5 block radius. Find parking spot 8 blocks from destination. Put money in meter. Walk down 8 blocks to beach. Return 2 hours later. Find ticket on windshield. Curse the parking gods.

Break the cycle with one of your own--a bicycle that is. In my experience of growing up next to the beach, I've found that taking a leaf out of Lance Armstrong's book has never left me without transportation in a pinch.

Every day this summer, I've hopped aboard my Elektra Strand Cruiser (white with pink flames, natch), and Tour Du Franced it to work. It saves a) time spent searching for a parking spot b) time spent going to the gym (with a total 5 mile cycling workout round trip) c) the environment and d) the stress of a potential parking ticket. With a fool-proof bike lock, a shiny new bell, and a detachable surfboard rack, allow your bike to become your new best friend all over again. Your rock-hard thighs will also thank you at the end of the summer.

Bikes--like their more mechanical counterpart, cars--now come in thousands of models, colors, and styles. Keep it classic on a Schwinn Cruiser to ride on those level terrains: add a basket, throw a towel over your shoulder, and bike along the beach for your most scenic summer activity yet. Or try Tandems for double the fun (I've also seen tandem bikes with attachments for as many as 6 people on 1 bike. Um, woah, awesome). And if you're like me and like to keep things fresh, Urban Outfitters now has a custom bike shop, where you design the colors of every single piece of the cycle; try designing your red front tire with lime green rims and orange bike frame with white handlebars and a blue back tire with red rims--you got it! The order form is simple, and the bikes are relatively inexpensive. Plus you can almost guarantee that there will be no other rider out there with the same bike as you!

So forget about your expired meters and half-mile hikes to your car. Just grab your bicycle and go for the gold!

From left to right: Schwinn 2009 AL $399; Urban Outfitters Aristotle $399; 2009 Tango Tandem $699

Image from BCsurf.com and thebicyclebum.com