At a recent Learn to Ride—Adults class, we couldn’t help but notice the smiles on the faces of sisters Sherlanda and Nathline Willie after they quickly “earned their pedals” and rode around our East River Park location. We wanted to know how they were liking things so far. Here’s what they had to say.

 

How did you get involved with this class?

Nathline: I took one before. We got involved because, really… we’re from the Caribbean, so it’s very embarrassing to admit…

Sherlanda: … that we don’t know how to ride.

Nathline: Like, we begged our Dad: “Come on, teach us how to ride!” And he’s like, “You guys are too grown for that, you should know by now.” So I came to see if it could even be done. Could we really, as adults, learn how to ride? And this is my second class, so I’m feeling really awesome right now.

 

I saw you riding by earlier. I was like, “Oh, she got it.” Where in the Caribbean are you from?

[Both]: St. Lucia!

 

How long have you been New Yorkers?

Nathline: Over a decade?

Sherlanda: It’s been awhile.

 

And how old are you?

Nathline: 25.

Sherlanda: I’m 31.

Nathline, when you took your first class, did you think you would get the hang of riding a bike?

Nathline: I mean, I got it in the beginning. I thought I was going to get it, but I thought it was going to be way easier to get. I thought you would just get on the bike, and how hard could it be? Everyone says, “It’s easy as riding a bike!”

Sherlanda: It’s like, “Yeah, thanks.”

Nathline: It was a little harder than expected, and by the end of the class I started getting the hang of it. So that’s kind of why I came out today. It was like, “Hey, let me kind of just, like…”

Sherlanda: …. Work on it, see how far it goes.

 

How did you hear about Bike New York?

Nathline: Oh, my Aunt told me. She couldn’t ride a bike, either. I’m not sure how she found out. It was a word of mouth thing, and we signed up for it.

 

We have to get her in!

Nathline: Oh, she’s a pro now.

Sherlanda: She’s riding all over the place.

Nathline: She took a couple of classes.

 

Sherlanda, you got it, too!

Sherlanda: Somewhat…

So, do you both live around here?

Nathline: No we live in Brooklyn, in Crown Heights.

 

Are you going to ride around there?

Sherlanda: Eventually. That’s the goal. The goal is to ride different places. I want to go get a Citi Bike and just ride around.

Nathline: We don’t drive, and the MTA is…. It’s so hot in the summer. It’s a good time to bike.

Once you take this class, there are more levels. Bicycling Basics, Street Skills…

Sherlanda: I’m going to do all of them until I can ride like a pro.

 

Nathline, when I saw you taking off before, what did that feel like?

Nathline: Liberating, I would say. It felt good to actually do it, you know?

Sherlanda: Yeah, like, you’re pedaling…

Nathline: … And everyone’s talking about, “You can do it!” And then it’s like, “Yeah, I can do it!” It felt really good to get that out of the way.

And what about you, Sherlanda?

Sherlanda: I don’t know yet. [laughs]

 

When you get it, are you going to ride around Prospect Park?

Sherlanda: Eventually, that’s the goal! [Just then another student who has just gotten her pedals rides by and the sisters cheer, “Go, go, go!!!”]

OK, I’ll let you get back to practicing. Thanks for talking to me. Good luck!

[Both]: Thanks!