Filled my bike tires with air and pedalled all the way to New Westminster. It’s pretty much all downhill though, so I didn’t actually get much exercise. We had dinner in New West, then took the skytrain home. It was a lovely day. 1 week ago

Lent my bike to someone on long term loan and have officially given up. This makes me sad but I don’t have the balls to ride in the city. Time for a new goal. 4 weeks ago

Hello, where are the dollars? I really want to tune up my bike but my business is in the toilet at the moment and I don’t have the money to spend. I also need a helmet and stuff like that.

I guess I will just have to save up. 1 month ago

I have a plan. Next month, in a few days I will take my bike to the bike store and get it tuned up, buy a helmet and start riding in the Lakefront Park in Chicago. That is my plan. I am still scared of the dangers of the road, but if I pay the money to have my bike fixed I think that I will do it. 1 month ago

ready for me to put the tire on it. I could only fit it in the car by taking it off. I need to get a bike rack. 2 months ago

I hate the cold. It has dipped back down into low enough temperatures that the whole idea of riding a bike makes me shiver at the thought of the cold chilling my fingers, toes and nose. 3 months ago

If the weather turns nice I am doing this today. 3 months ago

• I am really unfit and biking is a great way of getting fitter
• Padded cycling pants really do make all the difference
• I am not very confident in traffic
• I enjoy it and am keen to get better 4 months ago

The morning after I discovered that a close friend of mine had suffered a stroke and passed away, I went and had a Balinese massage. I had scheduled it almost a month earlier, so it was perfect timing. While I was getting my massage I had a great conversation with the masseuse. I think I mentioned that the weather was nice for riding my bike, which I had been avoiding all year. And upon analysis, I told her that it was probably because I had to wear the dumb helmet that I thought looked silly. Then she told me a story how a cousin of hers that was only 13 years old had had a freak accident on his bicycle and because he was not wearing his helmet, he died. Whoa! Talk about a wake up call! And she stressed the importance of wearing your helmet. So, now I know that when I ride my bicycle I will certainly wear my helmet! 7 months ago

Got a side mirror for my bike today, however, it looks difficult to install. I’m going to drag my bike out on the lawn and try to attach it tomorrow. 13 months ago

I’m going to put air in my bike tires after dinner :) Cue the Queen song… 13 months ago

May 9, 2012

I am a little bit late documenting these:

April 7, 2012

Synchronized bike riding

It was my time weekend (a weekend away from the Cowboy, as it is “Us time weekend” when I am with him). He texted me to let me know that he would be riding his bike with the girls. I told him to let me know when he would be doing it, as I would get my bike out and ride it as well. It was a lovely day, and I couldn’t wait, so I got my bike out and rode it around my trailer park a couple times and put it on my deck and I waited for him to tell me when he was riding his. He let me know, so I went out and got on my bike and rode it for like 20 minutes back and forth. It wasn’t any fun being alone, but it was lovely exercise. I knew that the Cowboy and the girls were enjoying a ride as well at the same time I was. It was a way that we could be together, regardless that we were far apart.

April 21, 2012

It was a bit nippy out, but the girls were really excited about bike riding. I was too as it was our first time as a group. It was kind of special. S. got to show off her new bike and A. rode in the trailer, which the Cowboy towed behind him. There was a slight disagreement with the girls on who would be taking Bickle on the bike ride. I solved it when I told them, S. could take Bickle for a ride on the first part of the ride and A. could have him on the way back. They were happy with that. We rode around the neighborhood. Since the Cowboy was towing A. I made sure that I watched out for S, as it was easy for me to speed ahead to her. It was funny to hearing “Skee, skee, skee” of her training wheels as she coasted along as she rode. She made me nervous when a car passed us (as we were in the road, so I made sure that I was between her and most of the road. So if any car was going to hit anything, it would be me and not her. I had to keep up with her and I had to tell her several times to slow down and wait. She definately needs a lesson in watching for cars, stopping at the end of the street, etc. She really made me nervous. She almost ran into me, as I was beside her, because she wasn’t paying attention and swerved into my direction. I was quick and had to tell her to be careful. Nevertheless, she did really good at controling her bike and seemed to really enjoy riding it.

Photograph: The Cowboy’s daughter, S. on her bike. Taken April 21, 2012.

May 6, 2012

We were going to ride our bikes, but the weather looked “ify” and it was getting nippy out. A. told me that she had her own basket so she could carry Bickle in it. She was kind of excited because she wanted to show off her bike to me. Then she reminded me that my bike was in the garage. My bike had been there since April 21, 2012, as it was hard work taking the wheels off and wrapping it up in two blankets before trying to get in leather covered back seat. I left it there, as it was just easier for me until we could get the truck rack set up to be able to transport my bike back and forth. We had planned on doing that, but we got busy with the girls, and it got really late, that we just sidelined it until my next visit (May 19, 2012). I was kind of hoping to bring my bike home, as I miss it, but it is okay. It will eventually come home.

-To be continued. . . 13 months ago

Well, at least I know what size tube I need to buy to fix my flat now. And I found someone willing to help me fix it. Plus, I found a street nearby that has a bike lane that’s very pretty. I can already envision myself riding on it. :-) 14 months ago

April 9, 2012

This is my heart shaped bruise that I got on Saturday when I was biking with the Cowboy.

Photograph: My heart shaped bruise I got from biking with the Cowboy. Taken April 7, 2012. 14 months ago

April 9, 2012

It was an awesome weekend! I ended up driving up to see the Cowboy late Friday night (I left at 8:30 p.m.) as he didn’t seem the reason waiting for the morning to see me. When I got there, we went out to Wal-Mart to check out the bike section so I could get some tubes for my bike. My tire said 26×150, but we couldn’t find a tube for it and we didn’t want to buy the wrong tubes, so we planned on going to the bike shop in the morning.

We walked out of Walmart and got lost! We couldn’t find my car. We thought we parked in on one side of the parking lot, to only find out, after walking around for a couple minutes, that it was on the total other side of the parking lot. It was hilarious! We had a good laugh over it.

The next morning (around 11 a.m.) we went to the bike shop. It was AWESOME! There were so many bike accessories, that I wanted to get. Like a little under the seat bag, and a rack for the back of my bike. I really wanted a Speedometor for my bike, as well. The lady helped us find the right bike tube for my bike. She explained that I wouldn’t find an exact size, but a size that covers a range of sizes. It was even better that the bike tubes were cheaper at the bike shop then at Walmart!! The Cowboy couldn’t believe it. So I got two bike tubes and a bike tire lever, which would help us change the tire better. The Cowboy said that we could use a screwdriver, but using them would give the possibility of accidentally puncturing the tube or damaging the tire itself.

We enjoyed ourselves a little bit longer in the bike shop, looking at the bikes. It was great fun.

We went back to his house, and started changing the bike tubes. I sat and watched him do, which seemed very easy. I helped with the last one, by placing the tube in the tire it self, and he put the tire back on. Then we took a ride to the gas station to fill them up. I really enjoyed working as a team with him. I pull them out of the trunk, and handed them to him to fill. I was surprised how quick it was. I guess I am used to filling car tires. LOL

We went over to his friend’s house, because Daniel wanted to have his friend look at my car, since it was acting up a bit. So the excitement was building to want to ride my bike! By the time, we got back to the house, I was almost beside myself with excitement. I got my bike frame out of the back seat of my car, and he helped me get the tires on. He test rode it to make sure everything was fine. He thought it was a nice bike. I was proud. Then he took his bike out and showed it to me. It was a beauty. All black and the tires had a higher rim on them. He had a nice bike rack in the back. He had a cruiser hybrid, which means that he can get a mountain bike tire if he wanted to going off roading with it. Right now he has the thinner tires, as it more of a cruising bike (very much like my 10 speed. I have two bikes)

We had talked at length on where we were going to go to ride our bikes. The Cowboy lives on section of town, where there is high traffic road, before you get further into town. He didn’t want to ride our bikes on that, as it would be dangerous. I packed my slim backpack (it is very much like a CamelBack, which I also have) with two bottles of water, filled my metal water bottle for my holder on my bike and a damp wash cloth in a zip lock bag. I had already packed it with antibiotic cream for scrapes, sunscreen, lip balm, hand sanitizer, before I left my house in Ohio. So we piled the bikes in his truck and he drove to Food Town parking lot which was only a couple blocks away. We got them out and rode downtown toward his friend’s house. Cowboy thought we could ride around a bit and then make our way to his friend, J’s, house for a bit.

I have to say that I felt a bit under confident about riding my bike, since it had been awhile, as well as I was riding it well populated places with people and cars. I felt that was exposed and felt odd not wearing a helmet (which I want one, but I haven’t been able to afford one yet. I have always rode my bike in my trailer Court, which made me feel a bit safer then riding it in town). We made a little jaunt to his friends house and waited for him to get there. We continued to ride around a bit. We rode in the grass of this little park. I was learning how to use my gears again. There was a little patch of gravel, and as I rode through it, I wasn’t going fast enough and I ended up dumping my bike hard. The Cowboy was far ahead of me, so I got up quickly, so he wouldn’t see that I wrecked a bit. I had a couple light scratches on my right palm and I hit my left leg, just under my knee, hard on the frame of my bike. When I caught up with the Cowboy, I was checking my palm a bit more as it was sore, I showed it to him and told him what I did. I was kind of proud of it, as it was my first road rash of the season. He got a little upset that I dumped my bike. I told him no to worry about it. My leg hurt a bit, but I didn’t think much about it.

We visited with his friend for a while. We were sitting outside and enjoying the sun. I pulled my sunscreen out of my backpack and put some on, as I knew my face would get it if I didn’t protect it. Both of us drank some water that I had. His friend pointed out that the Cowboy should move where he was standing or some ants might get him. There were thousands of ants milling about at the corner of the sidewalk where he was standing. So when he moved, I got down on the sidewalk and got a good look at them all. I love watching ants. I smiled when I heard the Cowboy say

“Now that is what you call a girlfriend. One that doesn’t mind getting dirty and enjoys the smallest of things.” The Cowboy had mentioned before that he likes it that I follow my own interests and I am not afraid to get a bit dirty to explore something.

When we went to leave his friend’s house, I realized how sore my bum was. The Cowboy laughed and said that he was going to say something about the seat of my bike and that it would make me sore. He mentioned that I should invest in a better seat. It hurt every time I peddled my bike. It was hard to get back to the truck. I am so out of shape!! In the same shopping area with Food Town, there was a Goodwill, so once we got out bikes into the truck we went there. They had a little bike, but it was much too big for one of his girls. I looked around to see what they had, as I am seriously thinking about sewing my own bike panniers, once I get my own bike rack.

Once we got back to the house, we rested and had something to eat, as we were both hungry! It was a lovely ride, yet sore. We talked about bike some more both together and with his girls. We talked about biking and camping. We talked about my bike seat. He said that riding my bike a bit might help me get used to it, but investing in an another seat is the best bet. I am going to have so much fun this Summer with him. I just have to remember to enjoy what it is, and not what it could be.

It was only until later that night my leg started hurting more, the light bruise, in which I showed Daniel earlier, was much darker and angry looking. Funny thing is it was heart shaped! Still, he felt bad that I got hurt. He told me that he just felt so confident with riding his bike, that he didn’t realize that I felt so under confident with riding mine. I knew he felt bad earlier, because when we rode back from his friend’s house, he kept looking back to see where I was at and if I was keeping up. He has such a sweet and caring heart.

I learned the hard way. Next time, I ride my bike, I need to pack some IcyHot and an Ace bandage for my sore muscles and strains, as I really needed it late Saturday night, when I was sore.

Late Sunday, we got my bike frame back into my car, and the tires in the trunk. The Cowboy said that hopefully next time, he could find the straps to the trunk bike rack and I could start using that in stead of sticking it in the back seat of my car. Yeah, I need to use that or invest in my own. I don’t want to puncture my leather seats at all (One reason while, I had a back seat cover on it on bought on Friday, as well as two blankets wrapped around the frame of the bike and it STILL make me nervous!).

I am going to try and ride my bike a little everyday, but the weather doesn’t look good this week, so I might not get to ride until this weekend when the weather gets up into the 70’s. I need to toughen up my bum.

I can’t wait until I ride my bike with him again!

Photograph: The Cowboy’s bike (the right one) and my bike (the left one) already to ride! Taken April 7, 2012. 14 months ago

April 3, 2012

I got my bike out of the car after work and put it together temporarily, until it is ready to be transported to Monroe, Michigan. I cleaned it off with a rag, as it was very dusty. I forgot how wonderful it looked. It is black and its a Specialize Hard Rock Mountain bike. I don’t know anymore about it other than that when the New Attorney bought it it was $400 brand new. It is in excellent condition, as he never rode it much and I haven’t either.

I am so excited about riding my bike this Saturday and possibly Sunday too, with the Cowboy. Of course, I need new tubes, but the Cowboy said that we can do that cheaply. I am excited about that as well, because he is going to teach me how to change the tubes out. I really enjoy learning new things and this definitely will be new for me. As well, it is wonderful who will be doing the teaching. I am always learning new things from him. He is so nerdy and I really love that about him.

I can’t wait, I can’t wait, I can’t wait! I haven’t seen him in almost 4 weeks and it is going to be awesome to be spending time and having fun like riding my bike.

Only 3 more days to go before bike riding launch!

Photograph: A picture that I found on the internet that looks exactly like my bike. I haven’t taken a picture of mine yet. 14 months ago