The Bike Rack Adventure
In May of 2025 I bought a bike. A sparkly purple cruiser. I love it! That bike has brought me such joy. Last spring as a break from the gym, I was riding twice each week on flat trails. Within four months I had worked up to riding ten miles each ride. I even rode in my first bike ride in over twenty years last July. (https://www.stlouisgirlstorytelling.com/post/2025-i-scream-for-ice-cream-ride)
Each and every time I rode, I felt the sense of freedom dance brings. It’s freeing, flying and empowering. I loved those rides and felt myself growing stronger in ways I didn’t think about.
No music, just my thoughts lent itself to another sort of moving meditation somewhat like a vinyasa flow class. And each and every time I was out, I was accompanied by cardinals which I believe were my uncle, grandmother and dad riding along with me. It was one of the best times of my biking life.
We were a biking family years ago, riding kids on the back of my bike and then alongside them for years. It’s a great way to chat with kids and enjoy being outside.
As life does, the road for biking changed. I was no longer near the flat trails that I loved. All during the fall, my bike remained untouched. During the winter months as well. The sparkly purple bike lived in my garage and waited patiently for me to figure things out.
I didn’t live where I could hop on my bike and ride safely to a trail. I’m not a road biker having learned years ago I’m much happier on a trail in a park. I’m a safety girl so this makes sense.
My sparkly purple bike didn’t fit in my car. Even with the front wheel popped off, which I don’t even like to do.
What to do.
I loved riding, I loved my bike, I had no intention of buying a bigger car. First of all, my garage is small, so a bigger car wouldn’t even fit. Second of all, I wasn’t up for that at all.
As time went on, I really did miss being on my bike….
I knew what I needed to do.
I was going to have to buy a bike rack.
The last time I had a bike rack on my car was a car ago with a hitch and a very heavy bike rack that required someone to hoist the bikes up. I don’t lift a lot of weight, and I knew I was going to have to find another option.
As luck would have it, I met Holly Nylander and Linda Thomas at Mason Pointe in March for a therapy dog session. As we were walking out, they began talking about biking and I asked how they transported their bikes. Holly puts hers in her car, but Linda had a tray rack. I asked what that was and she was kind enough to send photos.
A tray rack sits very low to the ground so that I could lift one side of my bike onto the tray and then the other side. My sparkly purple bike weighs 31 pounds. I tried lifting one side at a time and I could.
Now I had to find a bike rack that would work. Biking friends suggested I call around for a hitch and provided insight on questions to ask, what else I might need and where to have a hitch installed. ChatGPT provided more in-depth questions as well as who to call.
After a few phone calls I settled on U-Haul. They were the most professional (on the first call!) and the most reasonable. They carry Hollywood Racks and sent me links to research the bike racks I was looking at. Hollywood Racks pride themselves on being strong, sleek and easy to use. Have they met me?
At first, I was going to get the most inexpensive, however, upon more investigating, I realized the next level bike rack might be better. It was lighter, weighing only 21 pounds and this bike rack folded up to my car so it can live on my car during biking season. Taking it on and off would have done me in!
I spoke with U-Haul two more times getting more frustrated. U-Haul knows hitches and trailers; however, they just carry the Hollywood Rack bike racks, they actually don’t know that much about them and the agents via phone finally admitted that. If you don’t know something, just tell me that.
Going online I found Hollywood Racks and sent an email as a new customer.
Jaime De La Cruze emailed back answering my questions and offering to provide any more insight if he could.
So I called him. (do you know me?!)
And he answered.
We had a great conversation sharing biking stories, injury stories and figuring out which bike rack would work best for me. Hollywood Racks carries a range of bike racks. I didn’t need anything huge, in fact needed something quite compact. Jaime did think the Hollywood 2 tray bike rack would work for me and offering other options as well.
I’m very visual and wanted to see them if possible. There were two bike stores right around where I live, so I went to see them. The first bike store wasn’t interested in helping me. (big mistake) The second, Trailhead Bicycles, was incredibly helpful, informative and friendly. The young man helping me asked questions, brainstormed what might work and actually showed me a number of bike racks (including Thule-top of the line) that were set up to demonstrate what a bike rack on a car would look like.
I called U-Haul once more and ordered the two bike racks Jaime and I talked about so that they would both be there when they installed the hitch. Making an appointment was easy and they had Saturdays available.
My first appointment in May fast approached and I freaked out. I talked with my sister who reminded me how much I love to bike and how much freedom this would offer me. The hitch and bike rack cost as much as the bike and I knew I would have to decide to either do this or not.
Calling U-Haul I rescheduled. I just couldn’t do it.
I had to regroup. I had a conversation with myself (well, many conversations) and finally decided that I could indeed do this. I reminded myself that I loved biking, if felt like freedom. It was freedom and fun in many ways….And I loved to be outside. Giving myself a month more to think about it, my friend Shauna asked me about the bike rack one day in danze class.
“I’m still thinking about it,” I admitted.
Shauna, full of light and love looked at me and said, “You love biking. You can do this.”
As the June date approached, I kept thinking I don’t have to do this. I really don’t. My sparkly purple bike seemed quite happy living in my garage.
I had arranged with my friend Mila to pick me up at U-Haul on the June date and dropping me off when my car with the newly installed bike rack was ready.
On a Saturday in June, I went to the gym for a cardio class and then drove to U-Haul.
I spoke with the installer, Daniel, and he said he really did like the Hollywood Rack 2 given everything it offered. He also told me that they sold a lot of these bike racks. U-Haul explained what they would be doing to install, and asking me to sign off, letting me know to come back by 2pm so that Daniel could show me how everything worked. U-Haul would also put the bike rack on my car.
We headed to the pool for a few hours on an extremely hot and humid day. I tried to relax. I tried to breathe through this.
I thought to myself, I’ve bought and sold two houses by myself. (always with amazing help!) I can do hard things. And this was hard for me.
I wish I could explain why it felt so hard. I think I was concerned about getting my bike on and off the bike rack as I had not ever done this before. But just because you’ve never done something before doesn’t mean you can’t do it. If I’ve learned anything over the past eight years, it’s that trying and doing new things empowers us; let’s us feel our strength and resolve.
Right before 2pm we headed back to U-Haul, and Daniel was kind enough to explain how the bike rack worked, including how to take it on and off my car.
Jaime and I had talked about leaving the bike rack on the entire season, so I felt okay about this. My friend Lauren also assured me that she would help my figure out how to do this when it was time. Daniel showed me how to unpin the bike rack, so the racks came down and how the bike needed to be secured. Hollywood Racks also has videos that explain this which I had watched a few times.
Heading back to my house, I pulled my bike out and Mila and I figured out how the bike would sit on the trays. It was much easier to put the bike on the outer trays and secure them tightly. The first few attempts didn’t work. The bike was unwieldly and I couldn’t lift it straight onto the trays. I got frustrated and wanted to cry. (I’ve since read that frustration can lead to crying….) I actually just didn’t even want to try.
I also knew that if I didn’t try and manage to get the bike on the bike rack on this day, I would put it off forever. So I continued to try.
While it was challenging at first, I finally did get the bike on and off the bike rack. I was so hot and sweaty, and I knew I had reached my limit. I knew it was time to call it. While I had managed to get the bike on and off the rack and it did fall on me, I decided to call it a win.
Putting the bike away I ran an errand, came home, showered and relaxed in the air conditioning. Trying to regroup, I knew I would have to get that bike on and off my newly installed bike rack in order to feel more comfortable doing it. In order to own it.
That next weekend it rained. I pulled my car out, brought my bike out and it rained. I put everything away. the next day I tried again and once more, it began raining.
I needed inspiration and it came in the form of my friend Jan Loux. She had a bike, a bike rack and had just retired. We decided to meet two weeks after I had the hitch installed on a Sunday. We also wanted to meet before the rain that was predicted might start, hoping to start about 10 am at Creve Coeur Park.
That Sunday I pulled my bike out and looked at the bike rack.
Silently communing with the bike rack, The Universe and myself.
I turned and my neighbor was outside and I asked him if he could help.
He did, being as kind as he could be. He let me lead the way and we got that bike on the rack! Even after it fell on me. I secured it with bungees and was off! I was so proud of myself. Even with the help, I was proud that I had done it.
I am laughing as I write this… every time I put my bike on the rack, it falls on me and I’m covered in grease. In time, I’m hoping this doesn’t happen; however, the first few attempts have yielded the same results. I get one side on and stable and as I’m reaching over, the bike manages to fall on me. Securing it on, I also must reach through the chain, as I am also walking around with grease on myself.
Jan and I met at Creve Coeur Park about twenty minutes from home. Via highway.
She helped me get the bike off the rack. We began riding and it began sprinkling. Not enough to stop us so we rode and rode.
As we circled around the rain really started, so we hopped off, and together we got the bike on the rack.
Again, the bike fell on me and I was covered in grease.
We sat in her car as the rain raged. The last thing I wanted to do was drive in a storm; however, I also knew I needed to get my back into my garage. At this point, I was soaked to the skin and drove home.
Arriving home, I pulled my car in as much as I could, found a raincoat and worked on getting my bike off the rack. It fell on me.
Finally, I got the bike into the garage drying it and pulled my car in. Walking in, I just laughed. I had gotten my bike on and off (with help), ridden with a friend and got caught in a storm.
Let’s hear it for new experiences!
Jan and I decided to ride the following Sunday on the levee trail in Chesterfield Valley. We met at 9:30 am, after I was able to get my bike ON the rack ON MY OWN!
It fell on me again, and I was covered in not only grease, but sweat!
At that time of the morning, it was already hot and humid with no shade.
We rode about 11.5 miles completely worn out by the time we reached our cars. Jan helped me get my bike back on the rack, and yes, it fell on me again.
This was not the smartest idea as the humidity really isn’t healthy to be riding in. Lesson learned and we survived.
Arriving once more at my house, I was able to get my bike off the rack by myself, after it fell on me once more. I regrouped, took a shower and sat on my couch in the air conditioning.
I was extremely proud of myself for being able to get my bike on and off the bike rack, securing it safely on my car and driving on the highway. (ChatGPT was concerned about this!) I was also incredibly happy that I was able to ride once more.
It felt good to be on my bike, even though the weather had not cooperated at all. My sparkly purple bike and I make a good team.
Another benefit? I feel like a cool-biking-chick driving around with my bike rack on the car. I know, it’s crazy, but it feels that way. It did take me a little time and space to get used to having the bike rack on my car all the time-parking spaces, backing out and using my hatch-which I can! Once I felt comfortable….I’m loving that I AM a cool-biking-chick.
Riding my sparkly purple bike still feels like freedom and flying. And it brings me such joy. Riding my bike makes me happy. And this is one more thing I can do on my own (most of the time), readying me for the next challenge.
Another living example of trying and doing new things which empowers me. I am woman, I am strong, I am invincible and I’m covered in grease.
Thank you to Jan Loux who has been incredibly patient while I learn about this and am often late.
Thank you to Jaime De Le Cruze at Hollywood Racks for talking to me and following up with emails.
Thanks to my biking friends Lauren and Adam who guided me in the beginning with hitches and bike racks.
Thanks to Mila Gardner for the ride and the assistance.
Thanks to Daniel at the U-Haul on Manchester in Ballwin for being patient and kind.
Thanks to my sister who gently supported me and to my friend Shauna who encouraged me when I needed it.
Thanks to O. who reminded me to laugh and not only buy the bike, but to buy the bike rack. I appreciate you more than you can imagine.
Expect good. Defy gravity. Sparkle on! Let’s go biking!
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