I have long been drawn to whimsical things, and Amsterdam does whimsical really well. The City has a reputation that has softened thanks to social media but not that long ago was more known for sex and drugs. It was such a surprise for me initially when I would walk or ride around the City and find a charming scene of a leaning bike in front of a beautiful 17th Century building. I came to love everything about the “bike lifestyle” and embraced it fully. 🚲

Eventually I began to notice that most of my photos were either of bicycles or had bicycles in them. I clearly had a thing for bicycles. After deciding to share my photos via a homemade website, I made a list at one of my favorite cafés in Amsterdam, Villa Zeezicht, of possible names for the site. Among them was Falling Off Bicycles. At first I thought it was silly. Then I realized how it encapsulates so much of what I love about bicycles: forward movement, balance, fresh air, close interaction with others, and the pure childlike joy we feel when we ride. The name also serves as a beautiful metaphor for life: When you fall off, you must get back on. The whole idea is explained beautifully in a book I found since naming the brand, Einstein & the Art of Mindful Cycling. 💚🚲

Read the blog post about this, complete with photos, here.