Have I mentioned that I’m trying to cut my car use in half? I am. And reaching that goal begins with Bella, my new Electra Townie 7D bicycle.

:: Hello, Bicycles!

I met Bella at Allegro Cyclery, which is located in the small town where my husband and I live. She wasn’t assembled yet, but her beauty was still apparent. She was the bicycle for me, and no other would do. She was assembled and ready for pickup the very next day.

:: Allegro (and Adagio)!

Allegro has all kinds of great bikes for everyone — from advanced riders to those who have never before experienced life on two wheels. Whether you want to ride like the wind or slink along like a slug (which happens to be my style), there’s a bike for you at Allegro. (Just not Bella, since she’s mine.)

:: Bella Gets Fine-Tuned

Bella is Polar Blue and has seven gears. I added a rack on the back with two water-resistant panniers. My skateboard-style helmet is probably obnoxious, but its metallic brown background with lime green and sky blue flowers in the foreground struck a design chord in me.

:: Bella Hangs in There

I stopped riding a bicycle seventeen years ago in Kansas City, when I managed to avoid a huge pothole in front of me and a negligent driver to the left of me — both good things — only to end up flipping over the front of my bike and landing on the road’s shoulder. I wasn’t even hurt, at least not seriously, but the experience scared me. As soon as I could get up, I limped to the nearest park, locked my bike to a tree and left it there. I never went back to get it.

:: Bella Brightens the Living Room

I swore off bicycles that day in Kansas City. But now — almost two decades later — I’ve learned that I can never swear anything off because I can’t see the future and what it will hold. In my case, the future held a bright blue city bicycle and a small, relatively flat town in which to ride that bicycle with ease — who knew?

:: Head Gear

The funny thing is, just a couple of weeks after I got Bella, our dog Hayden (also known as Cricket, “Miss B”, Bebe, Beebs and Bebo — among other names) was diagnosed with a bone spur on her right wrist joint. Though it’s not terribly serious, her days of long walks and hikes are most likely behind her. We can still take her on shorter walks, but that’s not as fun for her (or for us).

:: Nice Bod

When Hayden got her diagnosis, who came to the rescue? Bella, that’s who. I can put Hayden in her doggie backpack and let her enjoy neighborhood rides with my husband and me. We’ve been going out at least once a day and Hayden has a blast. The best part is, she can growl and grumble at neighborhood cats and dogs from the security of her backpack. She loves that aspect of her rides — although I am dreading the day when a dog comes darting after the two of us as we make our way down the street.

:: Hayden Sizes Bella Up

Who knew a bicycle could round out our family and help our dog have the best life possible in spite of her health issues? We sure didn’t. But that’s the true beauty of bicycles — you might get into them for lofty reason such as living more sustainably, but soon they work right into your heart in ways you could never imagine. The upshot is: When you buy a bicycle, you just might be in for the ride of your life.