Can we talk about mall cops for a second? Is their job so exclusive that they’re the only ones who get segways? I mean, comparatively, students put on as many or even more miles in a day doing our job than mall cops do. You see, if we could spend less time walking to and from campus that means we would have more time to Netflix study. I see the positive trend between more students with segways and higher test scores, don’t you?

What I am trying to say is, I generally get frustrated my feet can only carry me so fast. Especially when I have left myself with 3 minutes to make the 5 minute trip to class or when I really want to explore outside of Dundee (busses aren’t my jam). Which leads me to wish I had one of two things: a segway or a horse.

It seems I can’t have either of those things, so I suppose a plain, old, boring bike will have to suffice.

Turns out the bike shop next to Dalhousie has great deals on bikes for students. And they’re not even plain, old, or boring. Neither are the bikes.

It’s called the Electric Bike Shop, but of course they have more than just electric ones. You can rent a bike for £50 for 1 semester (3 months) which is a crazy good deal. My friend, Oda, and I couldn’t pass it up; the thought of seeing so much more on two wheels versus two feet sold us. The ones we rented happened to be brand new and they were just begging to have their first miles clocked. 

Our mission was to get to Tentsmuir Forest in Fife. We definitely could have chosen a better day to go, but we just couldn’t resist trying them out right away. I checked the weather that morning and it was expected to be about 4°C and partly cloudy for most of the day. It was chilly, but not enough to put me off the exploring I was looking forward to. Forgetting that there was still a chance it could rain even if the forecast didn’t say so, we set off. Until hitting the Tay Bridge, it was only sprinkling rain and our spirits were high.

The trek across the bridge was a challenge, to say the very least. I’ve never biked through a wind tunnel, much less biked through a wind tunnel at an incline, but I imagine that is what it would feel like if I did.

Spirit update: wavering.

With stubborn attitudes and sizzling quads, we pushed on determined to make it to the forest and expecting it could only get better off the bridge and keeping in mind Scotland’s weather seems to leave as fast as it comes in.

Not long after, we reached the forest and enjoyed the lovely umbrella and wind shield the gorgeous sea of tall, tall trees provided us.

Spirit update: restored.

Just outside the tree line was a beautiful view of the sea and beach. This part of Scotland is actually classified as the most dynamic point; the visible landmass grows by 5 whole entire meters each year as the sea retreats.

The rain came and went as expected, though sometimes it felt more like tiny needles attacking our faces than like rain. Like raining Botox! …nevermind.

The path continued to carve a beautiful route through the forest. We ran across a lovely takeaway crepe and coffee shop in a clearing where we found it impossible not to refuel and rest for a moment.

So yes, I finally upgraded my mode of transportation. Not to a segway or a to a horse, unfortunately, but to a really great bike that I can only wish I got my feet on sooner. I can’t wait to explore more on these wheels, and I am always interested in suggestions for where to visit next. Leave your recommendations below, I’d love to hear them!