 and I was looking forward to taking a bicycle ride. The weather was amazing at around 75 degrees.){kind=link}
It was the day after Memorial Day (Tuesday to be exact) and I was looking forward to taking a bicycle ride. The weather was amazing at around 75 degrees. There was no rain. And I had a few exciting stops to make along the way.
What made this ride so exciting was the fact that I was going to stop and see an old friend that I use to work with.
After that, I was going to stop at a very special place that I use to eat lunch at every day. Not only did I eat lunch at this special place, I also gained a great friend that worked there.
But here’s the most exciting part of this incredible bicycle ride. I was going to be riding the exact bicycle route that started it all.
It reminded me of that old Roadmaster mountain bike that I purchased from Walmart, and only rode for a week before selling it.
It wasn’t until I bought a Raleigh Hybrid bicycle from my favorite bicycle shop, (Bike Zone) that my real bicycle commuting addiction began.
At first the hilly ride to work kicked my ass. The first day riding this route made me question myself how long I’d actually stick to bicycle commuting.
But I’m so glad I stuck with it because not too long after, I was flying up those hills with no problems. THAT’S WHEN THE REAL FUN BEGAN!
For one whole year I did my usual morning and evening bicycle ride through all weather conditions. For that whole year, I rode that hybrid bike through monstrous thunderstorms. Blazing heat and frigid cold. And even one snow storm that reminded me of the North Pole.
After three years of riding that 24-speed hybrid bicycle I did the unthinkable
It’s been a long time since I gave that old hybrid bike away, and for good reasons. The first one is space. I had nowhere to store a full sized bike. Secondly, I won a folding bicycle from a raffle at Hart’s Local Grocers. It wasn’t the most expensive or fastest riding folding bicycle. But it sure did change my views about what defines a bicycle.
I now ride a Tern Link D8 that rides much faster than the hybrid, even though it’s a folding bike.
Eventually, I will get a faster race bike because I’ve lost over 33 lbs, and my fitness level is improving daily. (I’m getting into riding faster, and will eventually outgrow the Tern Link D8) I’ll still own a folding bike for around town commuting, but will use the race bike for putting in some serious miles. Clip in pedals and all.
This bicycle ride brought back a lot of great memories of a life that I no longer live. I no longer work in Downtown Rochester, New York. I no longer ride the same bicycle route. And I’m a lot more knowledgeable and hooked on bicycles than ever before.
Plus, I know for certain that I won’t live in Rochester, New York for much longer because life goes on, and change is inevitable. But change is good because it means that you’re growing as a person and living life to the fullest.
This was probably the last time I’ll ever ride this exact bicycle route.