Just Like Riding a Bike

Meet Little Red. Actually, I'm not like Pee Wee Herman and his bike. Red never had a name until now, when it just came to me. She and I have been together for about 14 years. She came into my life shortly after I graduated from college, and has been with me through some interesting times. (By the way, I have no idea what that fuzz is around the seat bar in the picture. A flash from a reflector?) Red's a little thing, compared to bikes like Stein's, but she's heavy and tough and a bit sassy with her red color. I met her at a time when all mountain bikes had the same features - big, fat, knobby tires, and made of heavy steel. There really wasn't another option.

When she first came into my life, I was living with my Mom and Rich. There she and I would take rides through the forest preserves. I would also throw her in the back of my Honda Del Sol and take her to see friends. She has seen me through some interesting relationships prior to the important one with Stein. She kept me company during the day while I was unemployed one summer and spent most of the time on the lakefront bike path in Chicago. She got me from point A (Wrigleyville) to point B (Grant Park) so many summers to go to Taste of Chicago, movies outside, free WRXT concerts, or Emeril Lagasse's show that they taped there. Sometimes the trips we took weren't exactly the safest. I never owned a bike helmet while I lived there, and always rode in the streets. I naively saw each trip through the streets as an obstacle course of sorts, dodging pot holes, sewers (sorry Mickey and Patty), and the occasional door opened by a driver parking his car.

When I moved to Michigan, Little Red and I continued on our adventures. Stein and his bike (I know he has not named his), and Little Red and I cruised the streets of Ann Arbor and surrounding bike paths. We were (and still are) amazed at the number of people who ride their bikes on the sidewalks. When we see people riding on the sidewalk, we usually say to each other, "It's called a sideWALK for a reason. To walk." It doesn't annoy us as much in our neighborhood or on less busy sidewalks, but downtown in the middle of summer with hundreds of people walking on the sidewalk? Ugh. But, I digress. We also went on a trip up north where she crossed the Mackinac Bridge, rode a ferry to Mackinac Island, and explored the island. Stein and I also threw safety into the mix and bought helmets. How adult of us, huh?

Little Red and I took on a competitive side when we registered for a mini-triathlon. During these races, I realized just how heavy Little Red is, as I struggled to pedal past middle-aged women on their light, aluminum bikes. We did okay though, and even beat our time the second year we were in the race.

Last year Little Red stayed in the basement. I was busy finishing up summer classes and didn't have time to take her out of the house. This week I've been without a car, so yesterday I dusted her off, carried her up the stairs and outside. Her chain needed some oil, her tires needed some air, and then we were off. It was a gorgeous day here yesterday - high 70's, sunny, and no humidity. As I felt the air blowing through my hair (helmet), I was glad to be riding Red again. I remembered all of her nuances in a flash: how heavy she is, how finicky she is about changing gears, and how her back breaks are a little softer than her front breaks.

I thought briefly this year of trading in 'ol Red for a younger, lighter model. (Don't tell Red though). But at this point, why? Despite a few rusty spots, I think she's got a few years left in her. A few years to get me from point A to point B reliably, and a whole lot of memories to conjure up.