Hi! My name is Meredith. A fun fact about me is I was a synchronized swimmer in high school.

I believe the theme of Bicycle Love is personal growth. She has just graduated college and broken up with her boyfriend. Quits her job and gives up her apartment. She is completely free of her old life. She decides to start a new chapter of her life by biking across France. Although she is terrified at first, she soon becomes comfortable. “He paused and asked why I was riding alone and then answered for me while I was thinking. “Un pelerinage,” he said. You’re on a pilgrimage.” She is on a journey to grow as a person and she does just that.

“After a moment, he asked, “Tu fais du velo? Toute seue et tu n’as pas peur?” “Oui,” I answered.” I like how Goodspeed uses French in her writing to bring the story to life. You really start to get an image in your head of her conversations with strangers along her ride. I also like how she describes her bike and herself as a couple. “Around midnight, I pulled the bike inside my tent and cozied up to it. I hooked my arm over the middle of the frame, threw my left leg over the seat, and was soon fast asleep.” She shows how her relationship has grown so strongly with her bike she even sleeps with it. Her descriptive language makes you feel like you are on her adventure with the Bad Girl.