Well, Amanda posted about us getting bikes a few lines down. I'll elaborate a bit. For about a year now, I've been wanting to get a bike. I work with several people who bike often, and I've always thought it would be fun. Growing up, I had a bike when I was about 10 or so, and it fit me for about 3 years. It was simple, pedal forward to go forward, pedal back to stop. No gears, no nothing.
When I got really serious about this, about 2 months ago, I did as I always do, researched the hell out of it online. There were a few good resources, but not exactly what I needed to know in the format I'd best understand it. Now, currently I am off of school for the summer, my last summer off before finishing nursing school in December. I had alot of plans for the summer, like spending time with Cayden, enrolling in Sign Language interpreter/translator school, and maybe even getting a new computer(Mac). But, life beeing the way it is, got in the way, and I missed the signup date for ASLanguage school, and getting a new computer really needs to wait until I finish school. So, I worked a little bit, and rekindled my desire to bike. The hard part, of course is always convincing Amanda that I am not insane. And for the last two months, I've pretty much failed, and she wasn't convinced it was a good idea to go drop a ton of money on bikes.
Finally, after shopping around, and saving my ass off, she started to come around to my way of thinking. Actually, she probably just got tired of hearing me talk about it. I was very interested in getting a more recognized bike brand, instead of something at Walmart or Academy sporting goods. We have a Dicks sporting goods in town, and so I decided maybe I needed to comprimise. Amanda and I went, and found a couple of bikes we really liked. The salesman got tied up with some other stuff, and we decided to take one last look at the local bike shop here in Shreveport. Once inside, and test riding bikes, I really got attatched to this Trek 3700, it had an aluminum frame, and solid looking setup.
Amanda and I have been together for quite a while now, and we read each other pretty well. She knew I wanted it, and I also knew she understood that I was willing to make a comprimise on it, but being the giving person she is, she gave me the okay. We still had to get her a bike though, and we shopped around. She test drove several bikes, and ended up finding a Quest bike that suited her really well. The shifters wern't exactly what she wanted, but the style was rapid fire like mine, so she was happy. Off we went, with a car full of rubber and aluminum.
Once we arrived home, I almost immediatly shot out of the door on the bike. I felt like a kid again! It was amazing at how much I forgot I liked to ride. Being a gadget, semi-tech'ie, how-it-works minded person, I really know this is something I am going to like. Plus, it fills the void in my life of getting outdoors. I'm designed to be outside, I just enjoy the outdoors. Down the street and back, it was now Amandas turn, she jumped on hers, and had a good time as well. Cayden shut us down though, we wern't paying him enough attention.
The next day we didn't get to ride any, but did get to make several braking adjustments, and add on some stuff to the bikes, like repair kits and such. This morning, however, was my first ride worth mentioning.
Cayden, in all his cuteness, has now discovered a new trick, that I refer to as the 5am wakeup call. He once slept through the night, for pretty much his whole 2nd month, and some of the third, but not now. We gotta eat. And eat. And eat. Last night, we drove out pretty late to give a friend a ride home from a local watering hole, and didn't get home till about 0130 in the morning. I knew 0500 was going to especially suck today, and we also have a wedding we are going to in Lake Charles at noon, so today was shaping up to be rough. But, my guy was a guys guy today, and just relaxed and let dad sleep. All the way until about 0645, which is FINE by me! On a side note, I now am creating a theory that the only good sleep occurs between 0430 and 0600. I woke up very refreshed, very rested, and thought, I should get in a ride before amanda gets up. So, I fed Cayden, put him in his rocker, and geared up.
So here's the visual. Charlie. Bike shorts. Helmet. Gloves. Shades. Thats gangster! All joking aside, I did purchase some of those bike shorts with the chamois liner for your doo-dads, cause nobody wants chaffed doo-dads, I mean, come on! But it's function, not fashion, so I put on some cargo shorts over it. I got some padded bike gloves, and am now glad, cause my hands would have been hurting without. Helmet in Bossier is a must, with traffic and all, and shades keep the bugs from taking out a cornea. I figured I'd eat a bug or two huffing and puffing, but I didn't thankfully. I guess that nasal surgery back in Dec did the trick.
Well, its about 0730, and 78 outside, with a little breeze blowing, and off I go. I biked to the gas station, to make sure I had enough air, and get some H2O. The store clerk looked at me oddly when I brought me bike in at first, then smiled. Surely I wasn't the first to drive their vehicle inside of his place of business. Then, I made it down Airline drive, and onto Teague Parkway. I biked all the way down to the boat launch, and then made some adjustments to my seat, and headed back. I passed bikers and walkers all along the path, us breezing by each other with a simple 'morning!'. I got home, 4 miles later, feeling great! I could have done another mile or two, but I didn't want to push it too much. And, I am also probably not going at the recommended 90 RPM's. It was more of a joy ride, and joy it was. The wind felt great, the downhills were awesome, the uphills were not too tough, and traffic wasn't as scary as I'd thought it would be. I don't know when I got home, but Amanda was still asleep. I knocked several times (forgot my keys), with no luck, so I watered the yard and plants, and just enjoyed the rest of the morning. Eventually she let me in, which brings me to this post.
I had to share my morning experience. It was wonderful, absolutly wonderful. If any of you are even remotely considering getting a bike, or pulling out your old one, I'm in favor 100%.
Even if the in-laws think its a bad idea. :)
-Charlie V
Group picture from the Trichel reunion 08
5 days ago
