You can only be young once. But you can always be immature. (Dave Barry)

They say the best things come in small packages. I sure hope so. Because my big new thing for the year ahead is a little folding bike, a Brompton.

I've been thinking about this since last summer. I decided I wanted an all around errand bike for use in Miami. I use Metrorail a lot. When I take a bike, I can never find suitable bike racks at stores and offices. A Brompton handles these situations. (It even has a "shopping cart" mode!) I also wanted a travel/touring bike that would let me easily hop on trains and buses. A Brompton travels like a pro. A Brompton opens up a lot of territory for my little "running away from home on a bicycle" adventures.

I decided on a Brompton for two reasons. First, a Brompton folds faster, easier, and more compactly than other folders. Second, and a big plus for me, Brompton has a line of bike bags designed just for their bikes. Something for every purpose from commuting to touring.

Since my husband no longer shares my enthusiasm for bicycle touring, I just go solo. Some people think solo touring would be lonely or boring, but it's not.  Bicycle touring's allure is its freedom. You keep your own schedule. It's liberating. When you tour solo, there is no negotiating with your traveling companion! You make stops when you feel like it, eating or having coffee when you want. You can chat with people or enjoy solitude. And you never have to apologize for spending too much time taking photos, wandering down a back road, or changing your plans on a whim. And when you are riding a little folding bicycle like a Brompton, people go out of their way to make your aquaintaince and chat with you!

The covid-19 pandemic has complicated things, to say the least. The bike and accessories have been ordered, but they will get here when they get here. And, like everybody else, I'm doing the social distancing thing. In other words, taking it one day at a time. Which means I have time on my hands to daydream about trips I want to take on my Brompton when it finally gets here and the pandemic thing cools down.

Watch this space.