I Like to Ride My Bicycle ..

Yesterday I bought a 1975 Schwinn cruiser bike with a basket on the front and a big old honking horn. When I took it out of my car my neighbour Dave laughed and whistled the wicked witch of the north music (de de de de de doo). My bike is baby blue with sparkly grips and an original spring-loaded leather seat with the Schwinn plate attached on the back. It was made in July 1975 - so it is 6 years younger than me, and I love it. I've never loved a bike before. Craig said he loved his first bike and waited 6 weeks for it to be available once they bought it. I can't remember the name of it now but it conjured up a red shiny thing that went fast.

My bike goes fast too. Tonight we went on a family bike ride - me free-wheeling with legs outstretched thinking ya hoo! Then looking back and saying "come on Craig this is great!" and him saying "I'm towing 50 pounds right now - you want to swap?". Err, no. I'll slow down and pretend I'm huffing too so you won't ask me again. Jack, from the trailer at the back of Craig, kept shouting "honk your horn Mama! And I'd do it - UH-AH, UH-AH! Dead loud like an old clown horn and I was hoping I didn't annoy the neighbours.

Two things surprised me and sort of dismayed me: (1) I have completely forgotten how to change gears on a bike and kept fiddling with the lever back and forth so I went from peddling like a lunatic to standing up and groaning UGH with every rotation. Craig said "shall I ride for a bit and get the gears sorted out for you?" and I thought "I know your game Mr. You're not palming off 50 lbs worth or trailer and children onto me", so I acted all independent and keen to learn. To be honest I'm scared of towing the kids as I'm not very good at biking right now. (2) Down hill, when I was going really fast, my thought was "If I fall off right now I'm royally F'd". So I applied a bit of brake and hated myself for it but in the same vein don't want to endure smashed knee-caps and gravel rash. I had enough of that from 1975-1990.

It's "ride your bike to work week" and I'd love to do it, even if I can't walk afterwards for a few days. You have to do these things as you get older and more senile, don't you.