Exercise is good. Moving around without relying on fossil fuels is also good.
It has been said that Ocracoke is an island where things are either very close or very far.
For example, in a recent telephone conversation with Geek Squad helpers about a computer problem , the technician said, “I’m sorry, but it looks like you are going to have to bring this into a Best Buy store to have them look at it.”
“Close-by” Best Buy stores are in Greenville or Chesapeake, Va., and would require a full day excursion to either, not to mention the cost of gas. Similarly, for islanders to see a new feature movie in a theater requires a trip to Nags Head, another all-day trip.
On the other hand, a variety of shops, good restaurants, musical entertainments, food stores, and now ball games, are within walking distance, or are easily reached via golf cart or bike.
Lots of Ocracokers and visitors alike move around the village on bikes. A basket can accommodate mail, small packages and bags.
Many locations, such as the post office, school and businesses, have bike racks. These racks keep locations organized and bicyclists don’t have to remember on what bush they left their bikes. We could use a few more.
Events such as the recent Firemen’s Ball at the Community Center brought out hundreds of people. Many arrived by bike, but there are no bike racks at the Center. So folks had to find a place to park their bikes. In our “dark sky” part of the world, it can be a challenge to find one’s bike after the sun sets if it is not in a rack.
Our Community Ball Park which can draw lots of baseballs fans is another location currently without one.
Bike racks are relatively inexpensive. The Ocracoke School’s shop class has successfully accomplished some projects that have benefited the community. Perhaps they could build some.
Traveling around the village by bike is a wonderful experience and a healthy one at that.
Let’s provide a few more racks for bikes, avoid the plague of two-wheel sprawl and spread the (perhaps impossible to document) word that Ocracoke has more bike racks per capita than any other community in the state.
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