bicycles are to most copenhageners as a car would be to many in the states. the city has a goal that 50% will be commuting by bicycle by this year...they are up to about 43% now, or so the news story i read said. and i can just about believe that--it's a CRAZY thing to bike during rush hours here. there are thousands of bicycles going here and there, and if you are slower or unsure, they will zoom past you on all sides if possible. of course, there are superb bike lanes on nearly all the streets, so it's not cars you must worry about, only the other cyclists.
the biggest issue with automobiles are the buses, who stop along the side of the bike lane and release passengers. this creates an interesting traffic pattern of passengers exiting into the bike lane and across to the sidewalk on the other side. all i can say is: Note to bus passengers: Don't forget to look to the right for cyclists on their phone or daydreams. and Note to cyclists: Beware slowing buses..that little old lady/cute fulbright scholar might take longer than you expect to exit the bus/bike lane.
my adventure with a bike started this weekend. a good friend at the office (former director who has an american wife and lived in minnesota for several years) offered me a bike to use for the year. it's a man's bike, which is fine for me because it has the right height, but can be somewhat indelicate while mounting in a skirt. i'll take the practical free bike path on that note. or buy some bike shorts for commuting :)
i went out saturday evening to have dinner and check out the bike, which has been stored in their basement for a couple years now, rarely used by its owner. it's sturdy and not too flashy (good to avoid being stolen!), and fit my frame well. so, i hopped on the s-train (s-tog) to return to hovedbanegaarden from where i knew the rest of the way home by bike. i made it about halfway--maybe 5km--when the rear tire deflated. "really?" i thought.. 11:00 at night and it would, of course, happen on my very first cycling adventure in denmark. so, i continued to walk my poor new bicycle home.
sunday morning i woke up and went outside to investigate. i had been planning to research a bit on bicycle maintenance anyway--as danes can be very finicky about their bikes--but this was me being thrown head first into the ring. the tire was definitely punctured or damaged--inflating it had little impact. trygve came over and suggested that replacing the inner tube might be in order, and happily, he had an extra. so begins my first hands on bike lesson: how to remove the wheel, the tire, and the deflated tube, and then put them all back together. it went smoothly enough with trygve there to tell me what special tools are helpful when. we got the new tube in, inflated, and the wheel back to the bike. then, we flipped it upright and set off to test the gear shift...and...the inner tube came loose and POP!
"seriously? you've got to be kidding." no dryer thoughts had i had all week.
so, off comes the wheel, tire, and now busted new inner tube. and out comes the repair kit. we found the puncture in the old tube, sanded it down and cleaned, then attached a patch. hopefully this will stay for some time. however, i can assure you that i will be going to the store this week to stock up on 28cm tubes this week. and a tool set. (i missed toby xterra's trunk and tools very much this weekend!)
needless to say, i feel that i have now been properly introduced to the world on cycling in denmark. and i have some practical hands on experience to deal with any future "mishaps." though, hopefully those will wait until i've actually had time to enjoy my two-wheeled commuting experience..and perhaps until the daylight?
ever an adventure in denmark,
callie
update:
i cycled to my morning meeting and then to work on monday. 12.3km, plus the 11 or so to come home. here's a map of the route (not including home commute)
well folks, i have been officially accepted into danish society. ;) there is a game of sorts that i had the chance to play last night involving a bunch of danes hammering nails into a slice of tree trunk. the rules are that you can hit your nail once (straightening is allowed) and then it is the next players turn. the first player to get his/her nail all the way in wins. "all the way in" is determined by whether or not a nail (finger nail) can fit between the head of the nail and the wood. many debates occur over this small detail, as you might imagine. 
9AM -- faculty meeting, i am introduced to everyone
The offices are typically shared, and mine has the 8 desks arranged in pairs facing one another. This is where my selfish use of 2 desks comes in. The room has an "A-frame" roofline, and two bright skylights that look up to the telescope observatory tower. Quite a nice space, but my perch under the skylight (or at any other desk) left me sitting near enough to the wall that whenever I stood, I hit my head on the slope of the ceiling. After 2 days, I broke the collegial tradiation of this room, and turn a desk to face the wall, and now have a corner style desk set up with the two. If another Master's student comes perhaps I will change, but for the time being my skull appreciates this new desk design! :)
It is a very social place--which I can't say is normal in Denmark, as I have heard stories from both sides of that coin. But, for me, I will just be thankful that it is such a collegial atmosphere. We have lunch together each day, outside if the weather is nice, and sometimes have work breaks or family day/parties throughout the year. These would involve a Julfest (Christmas party), dinners, or other celebrations. Also, there is a ping pong table and cozy breakroom on the bottom floor. Fridays seem to be pingpong day--those of us in the office late that day (not so many considering the Danish penchant for reasonable work hours and time with family--37 hours standard) go down and play a "round" ping pong tournament.
i have a table and closet/bureau (not pictured) also, and this comfy couch and coffee table. the really nice feature is the windows (seen in the above photo) on the south side of the room. they fall just at ground level, and i get sunshine and the garden view every day. i'm hoping to find some flowers/goldfish/life to brighten up the windowsill soon. there is a window in the kitchen, and also two in the restroom--so i am lucky in the danish way of things. of course, those windows also function as vents and will have to be opened in the winter at various points, so that could be...interesting. but not to worry, mom and dad, i'm much to far to call you at 7:30 AM and whine about it being cold. 