Joys of Leisure Bike Riding

  There are many things I miss about my childhood, mainly snow days and summers off, but the other thing that I came to realize I missed greatly was bike riding.  I don't mean the kind where you train daily to do marathons, I refer to the type, where you just meander and enjoy the scenery, stopping at the local small grocery to grab an ice cream bar, then continue riding one handed, while licking furiously to keep the ice cream from running down your arm. You know, the simple fun kind?


  As a kid, I spent hours and hours upon my bike.  Cruising around with my friends, pretending to be superheroes (because in our heads Spiderman and Superman would be naturally be riding bikes, duh) or doing daredevil tricks like jumping ramps, or wheelies to impress boys. I was a pro at fixing  a bike, often called upon to rescue a fallen chain, tightening a loose handle bar and even building a few by combining the parts of old ones. In the summertime I would patrol the neighborhood until the streetlamps came on, signalling it was time to go home.  My bike, like a cowboy's horse, was my constant companion.


  I realized a key component was missing in my life, when I started to admire the retro bikes I have been seeing around town lately.  I started to day dream about a mint green beach cruiser with a basket.  I could visualize myself breezing around town waving at my neighbors, stopping to pick up a sack of groceries or two and maybe visiting the used book store in search of a cool find.


  During my trip to Seattle to visit my sister, we decided to take a trip to India in a few years.  I know several friends that have done this they have all told me that there are certain parts that are best toured on bike. On this same visit, I took a ferry to the San Juan Islands.  We encounter several cyclist on the ferry and the idea of exploring new places by bicycle really appealed to me.  It was then and there that I concluded, what was sorely missing in my life was a bicycle.


  After looking around the inter-web for a month, I decided that, until I found out if the reality of riding was as enjoyable as my memory of riding, I would limit myself to spending no more than $150.00.  I found this great bike at Walmart.com within my price range.

  Although not mint green,the raspberry color seemed fun and rear rack, basket and beverage holder seemed really to suit my needs as leisure and commuter rider. Now to go purchase the bike!

  Ah the disappointment of finding something online, only to not find it in the store.  The Walmart Sporting Goods rep told me that although they did recently have it in stock, the bike had been an extremely popular model and he had sold the last one that very day. Drat!

  He offered to call around town to see if he could find one, so while I waited, I causally looked at the other bikes on display. I had my heart set on that one, still I had to admit some of the others were kind of cute, but most were too this, or too that for my taste. Then I saw it, a teal blue Huffy Cranbrook Cruiser.  It was love at first sight.  No, it did not have a rear rack. It didn't even have a basket. Those had been two requirements in my search and would be imperative in my eventual plans, but I really LOVED this bike.  It spoke to me in a way that no car or designer shoes ever have.  The best part was, it was almost $40 cheaper! 

The sales rep came back and told me he had found the deluxe cruiser at another store, but I no longer cared. My heart was set on the teal blue bike with the green and gold flower detail.  Sure I would eventually have to spend money on a rear rack.  Of course I would have to find a basket, but this was MY bike, it knew it and I knew it.  She whispered to me "Take me home with you" and I whispered back "Okay, let me get my wallet".  

  Isn't she pretty?  I couldn't wait to ride her and yes guys, it really is just like riding a bike, you never forget.  I rode up and down the street so filled with joy, that I could hardly contain myself.  That little girl inside went 'weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee' and the adult in me reasoned this will work off quite a few calories. The little girl told the adult to shut up and just enjoy the ride.


 Unfortunately the temperature has climbed up near 100f, so my plans to ride all over the neighborhood have been thwarted. Still, I think I will brave the heat late this afternoon, to get the high of zooming my new bike up and down the hills.  We are told constantly to 'act our age' or 'grow up', but I think this is one time that it's perfectly acceptable to enjoy a long forgotten past time.


This is just another step in simplifying my life and I hope to have many trips and adventures on my bike to blog about later.  Until then, WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!