Ramblings and Ruminations

Finally!!  I got a bike!  In order to understand why this is so cool for me, you have to realize that I spent a good portion of my youth on a bicycle.  It was my freedom, my transportation, my wings.  I rode everywhere - to friends' houses, to school, to the library - everywhere.  When I went to college I brought my bike and rode it everywhere up there too - I averaged 40 miles a day for my freshman and sophomore years before I got my car.  I rode in the sun, the rain, the snow - didn't matter.  I was on my bike and I was happy.  I also have thighs of steel because of it, but that's just a side note.

Anyway, I bought bikes for the kids and me when we were living in my old house, the one I lost as an early trendsetter in the foreclosure debacle.  When we moved, we couldn't take the bikes with us so someone i guess got our 3 pretty much brand new mountain bikes.  C'est la vie.  I've wanted another bike since then but there never seemed to be money for such an indulgence.  But the other day on my Freecycle(TM) group someone posted an offer of a women's 1973 Raleigh bike.  That is MY bike!  The exact one I had all through school and college.  I picked it up Thursday night and took it to Brand's cycle shop - the same place I bought every bike I've ever had since I was 8.  They are going to tune her up, replace her tired, brake cables and pads and get her ready for some serious biking.  I can't wait!!



This isn't a picture of the one I got, but it is pretty close to it.  Isn't she pretty?  She's brown and lovely and she's mine!  I'll pick her up on Wednesday and take her for a spin.

Coincidentally, another Freecycle member posted a men's bike the next day and I was lucky enough to get that for David.  It isn't as cool as mine, but it is a nice 10 speed Schwinn.  Brands is also giving that one a tune up, new tires, etc.  I got us both helmets and we will be ready to meander soon.