The Starter
缘起
Learning Journey As A Little Girl
学会骑车的小女孩
I started to cycle with training wheels when I was only 3 or 4 years old. But until I was 6, I could not ride a bike ‘independently’. I still remembered it all happened on a sunny morning in the park. One of my favourite people, my mom’s colleague and good friend, helped me to learn to cycle. She said to me in the beginning, “Qianqian, I will be holding the back of your bike, so you just need to paddle and enjoy. Nothing to worry. You are in safe hands, ok? ” I nodded, firmly.
谈起我的车龄，我还是蛮自豪的 ：）。3,4岁就开始骑那种带着两个后轮的儿童车。到了差不多6岁，终于学会骑车。很感谢妈妈的那个好朋友兼同事，也是我非常喜欢的一位大姐姐的帮助。也感谢那个阳光灿烂的清晨，公园里，努力的我。还记得姐姐一见到我，就对我说，“倩倩，我会在你身后，扶着你的后座的。所以你只管放开骑并享受这个过程就好。不用担心其他。“ 我听了，坚定地点点头。
After a while, she jumped in front of me, “Congrats, you can ride now!” She announced this news excitedly. Then I got to know her hands were purposely off at some point when I was riding, but I could still ride very well without her support.
过了很久，她突然跑到我面前，兴奋地宣布，“恭喜你，你，会，骑车啦！”我这才意识到，原来她不知在什么时候就已松开手，而我，依旧还能自如地骑行。
Thinking back, that moment is still so magical to me. I guess a lot of things in our life are the same. A skill itself might not be that hard to learn/master, but your mentality is the key. A negative mentality could even be your major learning barrier.
现在回想，那个瞬间对我而言依然很神奇。人生中很多事情大概也都如此吧。一项技能本身可能并没有很难，而我们的思维才是掌握技能路上的主要障碍。
Why Do I Love Cycling? Well, 3 main reasons:
是什么让我如此迷恋骑车呢？有以下三个主要原因：
* I feel connected and grounded to the world, especially to nature when I cycle. Because I can embrace the beautiful sunlight on my face, feel a nice breeze blowing through my hair, smell the fresh air and floral scent along the way. Also, I like the feeling of noticing some small changes, such as blossomed flowers or some colour changed leaves after a rain overnight.
*我觉得我可以与这个世界触碰连接，尤其是和可爱的大自然。我能拥抱清晨暖暖的阳光，感受温柔吹过发丝的微风，浅嗅清新的空气和弥漫四周的阵阵花香。而且，我还能发现身边一些细小而美好的改变。比如，雨后盛放的野花或者是被大自然施加魔法后变色的树叶。
*Pedalling is a type of exercise, and it can make me happy and fit.
*骑车是一项很好的运动，它让我健康，乐活每一天。
*It’s a mode of transport, VERY environmentally friendly! And it’s so flexible. There are not many places that a bike cannot access to, right?
*自行车还是一种交通工具，非常环保，而且特别灵活。它可以穿过人来人往，大街小巷。很少有它不能到达的远方，不是吗？
In Spite of Being A Bike Lover, I Didn’t Ride A Bike in My First TWO Years (Almost) in Adelaide. Why?
然而，作为一名单车爱好者，刚来阿德莱德的前两年我却没有骑过自行车。为什么呢？
• I needed to buy a bike
• 我需要买车
As an international student back then, my budget was quite tight. Buying a decent bike is not cheap. While back in my hometown, I didn’t need to buy one. We could just hire and ride a public bike for free for 4 hours, before returning it to a bicycle station. There were over 50 stations across the city, so I was a big supporter and user for this green and convenient service.
当时，作为国际学生的我，预算还是比较紧张的，毕竟都是花父母的钱，能省则省。买一辆不错的自行车并不便宜。而过去，在我的家乡，我可以直接在4小时内免费租用公共自行车，再还回自行车站就好。全市覆盖有50多个站点。我对这项绿色而便利的服务也自然宠爱有加。
In Adelaide, you can hire a bike for free, too. For more information, please refer to this link: https://www.bikesa.asn.au/adelaidefreebikes But the stations are mainly in CBD. That means I cannot ride to work. But it is great for other purposes though. For example, you can cycle in the city, then follow the bike path along the River Torrens to West Beach with your friends on weekends. Trust me, the view is, magnificent!
在阿德莱德，你也可以免费租用自行车。具体信息，链接如下：https://www.bikesa.asn.au/adelaidefreebikes
但主要的自行车点只在市中心内。这意味着我不能租用它上下班。不过你可以用它来干点别的。比如在周末，租一辆脚踏车，约上三五好友，一同沿着河边的自行车专用通道，从市中心一直骑到海边，感受风光的无限美好。
• A different concept of riding a bike here
• 两国骑自行车的理念也很不同
In China, a bicycle is used more like a mode of transport. While here, cycling is more like a form of exercise and entertainment. One of my friends meet his friends every weekend and cycle to Adelaide hills for a whole morning. They enjoy it as a way of socialising, racing and challenging themselves. Vehicles dominate here, so I was told by my friends, “Don’t cycle to the city. It’s dangerous, too many cars. ”
在中国，自行车主要是一种交通工具。而在这里，它更像是一种运动和休闲方式。我的一个朋友每个周末都会和他的朋友们见面，然后在阿德莱德山上骑行一整个上午。在他们看来，这样不仅可以社交，而且还能展开一场力量与速度的比拼。比如，设计不同的骑行路线来挑战体能。
由此可见，在这边，汽车才是老大，占据绝对霸权。（小贴士奉上，如果想来澳洲留学，可以考虑在国内先拿到驾照哦~）所以很多朋友都不鼓励我骑车，说：“去市里就不要骑车啦。太危险，太多车了。 ”
• More rules here
• 这里有更多的规则
For example, you are required to wear a helmet while riding. Also, if you cycle in the evening, your bike has to have light reflectors, too. These scared me a bit. I was thinking, why do they have so many rules? Is it because of many accidents that have happened previously?
骑行时你必须戴头盔。此外，如果在晚上骑车，你的自行车还要有照明灯。这让我感到一丝丝害怕。想着，为什么这边有这么多规则？难道是因为以前发生过太多的事故？
Started My Cycling Journey in Adelaide
澳洲骑行新篇章，启航
How Did I Change My Mind and Get My First Bike in Adelaide?
我是如何被说服，最终购买了在阿德的第一辆车呢？
After neglecting my desire for almost 2 years, I met my supervisor during the second placement for my Master’s study. She is from Netherland, a true bicycle enthusiast. She cycled to work every single day. After expressing my love and concern for cycling here, she said,
感谢我硕士第二个实习项目的主管。来自荷兰的她，是一个狂热的骑行粉。（谁让荷兰是单车的天堂呢？）她每天骑脚踏车上下班。一次闲聊中，我表达了自己对单车的热爱和担忧。她听后，说，
“You should do it. Don’t ever let your fear get in the way of your passion. Sometimes they are only walls built within yourself.”
“可是你至少应该试一下啊。永远不要让内心的恐惧浇灭你的激情。有时它可能只是你心中臆想出的墙。”
So I decided to give it a try. Everyone’s experience and feeling towards something is different anyway. Ok. The first step is, to get a bike. After searching online, I asked one of my friends, who I met in UniSA Leadership Program, a cyclist, “Do you know where I can get a good second-hand bike? I know I can try Gumtree (a popular community trade website with free Local Classifieds Ads), but I don’t know how to tell whether a bicycle is in a good condition. ” She said, “Oh, actually I have one more bike at home. I can sell it to you, if you don’t mind?”
好，我决定尝试一下！无论如何，每个人都是独一无二的个体，所以我们对同一事物的感受也会各不相同。
说干就干！第一步，买自行车。咱新的买不起，就买二手的。搜索一番后，我问起一位单车爱好者，在参加大学领导力项目上认识的朋友，“你知道在哪里能买到一辆好的二手车吗？我知道Gumtree（一个当地的知名社区交易网站，能发布各类免费广告）上有，但我不知道如何鉴定车是否依然状态可佳。” 她想了想，说，“对了，我家正好还有一辆自行车。如果你不介意，我可以把它卖给你。”
Deal. See, spreading your message is important. If you want something, tell your friends, let them know. You never know what resources they have among their networks. All in all, remember, we live in a big community。
成交！:) 看，交流多重要。所以当你想要什么，或想做什么，记得告诉你的朋友。因为你可能会被他们拥有的潜在人脉或资源惊喜到哦：）。找工作同样也是如此。总而言之，请记住我们生活在一个大社区里，地球村嘛：）
So I bought my first bike, yay! I felt very excited to start my cycling journey to work, FINALLY. But thinking back, I realised how innocent and daring I was.
就这样，第一辆自行车购置成功，耶！终于可以开始骑车上班啦，非常兴奋。回想起来，也意识到当时的自己是多么的无知无畏。
I started to ride without knowing any road rules here. I thought I should be fine, because I was a safe rider in China. So you could imagine I had a lot of special moments. For example, I was thinking, which rules applied to me, the rules as a pedestrian or a car? (In China, the answer is as a pedestrian. But here is the opposite.) And what should I do when I am at a roundabout?
在不知道任何道路规则的情况下就上路了。只想着，我在中国也算是骑行老手了，所以到这边应该也没什么问题吧。于是就有了之后很多个“非凡”或疑惑时刻。例如，骑行者究竟应该遵循什么规则呢？视作行人还是汽车？（中国是相当于行人，而这边却恰恰相反。）又或者，在环形交叉路口时，我该怎么做呢？
What I ended up doing was to wait until the road was all clear or to follow other cyclists. I saw them signalling their intention by fully extending their arm out from the body in the direction that they intend to turn or change lanes. I felt a bit uncomfortable doing that, because it was, so new to me.
由于什么都不知道，我当时的策略就是，等到道路全部清空后再走，或效仿身边其他的骑车小伙伴们。我注意到他们在拐弯或变道时，会打开同方向的手臂来表明他们下一秒的意图 （如下图）。我刚开始做还觉得很不习惯，因为它对我来说，太新鲜。
So, to a new rider in Adelaide, I would strongly recommend you read some related articles or attend a free “Be Safe, Be Seen” workshop by BikeSA. Here are two great articles for you:
因此，在这里，对于想在阿德莱德骑车的新人们，我强烈建议你们读一些介绍相关法规的文章或参加BikeSA举办的免费信息分享会“Be Safe，Be Seen”。这里我也是贴上了两篇很棒的文章，可以阅读下 （毕竟安全第一，安心也很重要）：
https://www.bikeexchange.com.au/blog/australian-cycling-road-rules-to-know
How Did I Feel When I First Rode A Bike Here?
我在这边第一次骑车的感觉究竟如何呢？
I had to admit, it was a bit overwhelming because there were a lot more cars on the road than in my hometown. Therefore, I normally would avoid riding during peak hours, and to choose either before 8am or after 6pm, instead. Also, by using the website https://maps.sa.gov.au//cycleinstead/, I was able to cycle along on the least congested routes.
说实话，还是有点紧张的。因为路上的车比我的家乡要多得多（6年前）。因此，我一般会避开高峰期，选择在上午8点前或下午6点后更安静的时段“出洞”。通过使用https://maps.sa.gov.au//cycleinstead/，让我知道了哪条路车最少。
But normally cars would wait for us to pass first. A recently released policy requires drivers to give a minimum of one metre when passing a cyclist. Hope this gives you more confidence to ride a bike. Also, I discovered some very nice dedicated roads for cyclists in CBD. Some are even surrounded by grass. I haven’t experienced this type of superb treatment in China before. J You can tell the local government is very supportive of riders.
通常这边的汽车都会让单车先行。最近的一项新政策更算是给各位骑行小白们打了一支“安心剂”。那就是，当汽车和脚踏车“狭路相逢”时，汽车得和单车保持至少一米的车距。而且，市中心还有一些单车专用通道，绿化带围绕的那种哦。这样的豪华待遇我还是第一次感受到。可以看出当地政府对骑车去上班还是相当支持的。
Nationally, every October, in most cities in Australia, they have a Ride2Work Day, https://www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/rides-and-events/ride2work/. It is to encourage people to jump on their bikes and get active on their way to work. You can get a lot of resources and free breakfast there. :) Thanks!
全国范围内，每年的10月，澳洲各大城市里，还会有一个骑车去上班日，https：//www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/rides-and-events/ride2work/。主旨在于鼓励大家跳上自行车，健身来上班。活动中有大量资源分享和早餐，都是免费的哦。谢谢啦！
I love riding in early mornings and singing along (if no one was on the road ). It is so tranquil, and you could smell the freshness in the air, full of grass and nature.
我特别喜欢在清晨，骑着单车，哼着小调（如果周围没人：）），感受那份特有的静谧，还能闻到空气中溢满的青草香，清新，自然，而纯粹。
Two Grateful Moments in My Early Riding Days
早期骑行时光里的两个感恩瞬间
First Moment - Caring Strangers
第一个瞬间 – 来自陌生人的关心
It happened on my way home. The road was uphill, adding challenges to my ride. After using a lot of my energy, I decided to get off my bike and walk with it. A few cyclists passed by, and they all stopped and asked me: “Are you ok?” Aww. What a caring heart behind this short and simple message! This really reminded me of the importance of always showing your kindness to another human being. Sometimes it may not mean much to you, but that thoughtful and warm gesture could really make a person’s day. Always be caring and sending positive energy to the people around you :)
故事发生在我回家的路上。那是上坡路，骑起来真心很累。拼搏一阵后，在快到家时，我的体能实在急需“续航”，只好跳下车，开始推着它往家走。途中，身边陆续有一些同是骑车的人经过，他们都会停下来，关切的问我：“你还好吗？ ”哇。虽然只是简短的一句问候，但我可以感受到它背后所传递的那份爱心。这次经历时刻提醒着我对身边的人表达善意与关怀的重要。有时候一个小小的举动对你来说真得不算什么，但那份心意，那份温暖却可能会让另一个人感动一整天。所以让我们尽可能地多多关心他人吧，向这个世界散发出属于你的独一无二的正能量！：）
Next up I will continue my riding experience: my second grateful moment and lovely and supportive riding community in Adelaide. See you next month :)
下集将继续讲述我在阿德的骑行故事，第二个感恩瞬间以及当地友好的骑行社区。下个月见啦 :)
