London on two wheels

London is best appreciated -- slowly, I'll give you that -- on two wheels.
It's a joy to go cycling here: flat as a pancake, lots of big, green parks, plenty of cute little side streets with tidy rowhouses, dedicated bike lanes, and drivers, although not perfect, about as polite as you'll get anywhere on the planet.
Flat as a pancake is the big thing.
You're just not scared to go anywhere here, because basically, you know you're not going to be confronted with any big hills along the way.
So off you go.
It was really hilly where we used to live on the outskirts of Washington. Even though at the bottom of the big big hill where we lived, there was a beautiful long flat bike path that went on for miles and miles.
Because of that big steep hill, though, we only biked along that glorious bike path there a couple of times.
Which sounds immensely pathetic, I know.
We did go walking there a lot, up the hills, through the paths, along the Potomac River. With our beloved dog, Lucy.
I could miss that a lot if I thought about it.
Not much cycling, though.
Here, cycling is becoming our best leisure activity.
We don't have Lucy to walk anymore.
And on these long British summer evenings, where it doesn't get dark until past 10 p.m. here, there's nothing nicer than a long bike ride, we're finding.
Over and around the 18th century historic house and magnificent gardens I was telling you about. That they just restored.
What a place. It's huge.
It's not only us, I see.
As I was coming back with my morning newspaper this morning, my retired elderly neighbor whizzed past, on quite a flash mountain bike, the wind coursing through his white hair.
And I met a young mother at my favorite hang-out place the other day that runs a website selling chic cycle accessories. Doing well, she said.
Our new two-wheeled obsession has meant my husband has again turned to one of his pet London subjects: Getting me onto a Vespa.
He thinks it would be a great way for me to get around London.
Vespas can go in the bus lanes here. They don't have to pay the central congestion charge to go downtown. You can park them almost anywhere. They're fuel-efficient. It would be much easier to commute. They'll teach you everything here in a two-day course. After I learn here with all the sane British drivers, maybe we could get one for our little Italian town, which would be convenient. I need transportation here sometimes and I don't feel like buying a car. I would look cute on one. I'd have fun. So Italian, for chrissakes!
He's got lots of reasons.
I like the idea.
But I'm scared too.