The Bike - Part Three

If "the bike" doesn't make you role your eyes and groan, then you should refer to my blog entries of April 27 "I'm OK with that" and May 4th "Remember the bike?"

On Friday last I loaded the "soon-to-be-X husband's girlfriend's hand-me-down not fancy bike" onto the rack on the back of my car. Then I went one better, I loaded my" soon-be-ex-husband's hand-me-down bike" onto the car as well. So with these two bikes strapped precariously onto my station wagon I raced down to the helpful bike shop in Claremont NH. The highway was fine, but just as I left the highway and slowed down, one side of the rack collapsed and I looked in the rear view mirror to see the bikes dangling by the skinny little stretchy cord as I continued across the "narrow bridge". IN that split second I really hoped that they both fell into the river. If I had a picture it would be better, but oh how I would have loved to share that story. They didn't. I made it across, got out, reset the rack, and carried on.

The bike shop was having a swap. I didn't intend to return to my garage with either of those bikes, ever. I unloaded them, I asked the guy (Bob) what he thought I could expect for them ($50 each) and said, "Great, let's find me a bike Bob." He took me downstairs, we spent a terrific 15 minutes educating me on hybrids, comfort bikes, road bikes, and wimp bikes, also known as "old lady bikes". He brought a blue and silver Trek Hybrid up and set the seat to the right height, and off I went (yes I was wearing a helmet). Let me take a moment to explain the depth of my epiphany as I toddled out of the parking lot. I have NEVER, never ever, ever ridden a bike that was the right size. I have never ridden a bike with shocks, I have never ridden a new bike. I have never been so happy. After only five minutes I returned to Bob and said "That will do just fine." He convinced me try at least one other bike, but confided that he was pretty sure that Blue and Silver was the right bike for me.

As part of the chit-chat that happens nervously when a stranger is trying to check the height of your bike seat, I might have told Bob about the origin of the other two bikes. He got very serious, he looked right at me and said "Oh, you need this bike, and you need to trick it out with whatever you want." That sounded good. I limited myself to a rack, new peddles, and a water bottle holder, but Bob was sweet, and I think he was moved by my story, so he gave me a great break on the cost.

Now gas is up to 3.00/gallon, Blue and Silver is coming home tomorrow, and I intend to ride like the wind.

As they say in the movies "Drive Louise, just drive!"