Aside from my trusty garden apron which has two HUGE pockets, multiple collapsible hoses, and my wonderful husband Marty (who thankfully still loves me despite my obsession with gardening and nature), I have a new garden BFF and her name is Peggy Sue.
Peggy Sue is an electric tricycle, or as it is more commonly called, an e-trike. Marty and I had been riding traditional bikes around our neighborhood for some time, but as anyone familiar with Northern Kentucky knows, the area where I live has hills. Lots of hills. Lots of BIG hills. Lots of BIG MONSTER hills. And after a while, bike riding just wasn’t fun anymore. I mean seriously, how can you enjoy nature and exercise when your thighs and bum burn hotter than a blast furnace, and your lungs demand a stat dose of high flow oxygen? Fortunately, Marty and I saw a group of cyclists (all much younger and far fitter than we are) riding their e-bikes past our house and up one of those monster hills with apparent ease. And as they disappeared over the horizon, Marty and I looked at each other and said, “We gotta try one of these.”
Marty immediately fell in love with riding an e-bike, and after researching the various models, he bought one 2 weeks later. I also loved riding an e-bike, but I was looking for a model that had a complete step- through for easier mounting/dismounting. And that was when I first met Peggy Sue.
The problem was Peggy Sue was an e-trike, not a two-wheel option, and I wasn’t looking for a trike. But Peggy Sue was a step-through. She looked well-built. And, her profile was sleek, not boxy or “clunky.” So, after watching a zillion YouTube videos of people on their e-trikes saying how much they loved them (young, old, able-bodied, those with balance challenges, etc., and plenty of macho athletic guys), I decided to take the plunge.
And I am so glad I did.
After an hour or so of the usual learning curve and getting used to the nuances of riding an e-bike vs. a traditional two-wheeler, I have never looked back.
So how does all this relate to gardening? Well, it has been a game changer. When I need to take bulky or heavier items like bags of soil or mulch out to the garden, I now load them onto the back of the bike instead of into a wheelbarrow. I also use the bike for backbreaking chores like winching out or moving trees.
But Peggy Sue has proven to be an unexpected BBF for other garden activities too.
I used to walk through neighborhoods to admire other’s gardens. If the weather was cooperating, I probably walked a few miles in an hour or so. But with Peggy Sue, I can easily peddle around 10 miles at a very leisurely pace, in the same amount of time, adding many more neighborhoods to my garden tours. And those BIG MONSTER hills? Peggy Sue handles them with ease by using a quick burst of the pedal assist option, all without breaking a sweat.
And what a joy it is to ride a bike again.
I honestly can’t describe the exuberance I feel when Marty and I are riding our e-bikes during crisp Spring mornings, taking in the smells of the lilacs, the Schubert cherry trees, and hyacinths, and seeing the kaleidoscope of colors from the redbuds, dogwoods, and rhodos/azaleas. Moreover, I’ve lost count of how many people have stopped me during our rides to ask about Peggy Sue and where I got her (on sale at Amazon). Even better, those conversations usually liaise into gardening, gardening tips, nature, and an exchange of phone numbers between new friends.
Riding my e-bike around neighborhoods has allowed me to discover camouflaged forest paths and hidden garden gems I never knew existed or could not have accessed on foot. It has also made me a more creative gardener, eager to try my hand at designing new gardenscapes with different plants, colors, and textures.
But most importantly, I think the greatest attribute of e-bikes, especially e-trikes, is their accessibility. People of all ages, fitness levels, and abilities can now safely enjoy greater mobility in the great outdoors. Whether you’re a seasoned cyclist or someone who has never ridden a bike before, e-bikes (and trikes) offer a user-friendly and environmentally responsible way to have fun, stay physically active, and experience the joy of nature and gardening. It also offers important new opportunities for garden touring, the promotion of positive neighborhoods and green initiatives, and inclusive gardening.
Have a safe and joyous week in your gardens.
