Bike Love

I was asked the other day “why is it that we become so attached to our bikes?”

 Now I can totally relate to this. My bike is my child. I love it/him more than anything. (yes I do realize that my bike is an inanimate object, but I don't care. Ha) I drool every time that I lay my eyes on him and good luck if you think that YOU will ever get to ride him because he is mine. Feel free to ask a certain Dr. Z about the reaction I had when he just hopped right on Donatello (bike’s given name) and took him for a spin…it went something  like this, he got on my bike and before I knew it he was off.  I started yelling/practically had a heart attack while he laughed hysterically and continued to do circles around the parking lot.

 A little over the top? Not in any way, shape, or form according to my book (now my “book” is full of quirky rules. I wrote it so I get to make the rules up as I go along).

But on a serious note…and for those of you who know me, I am not serious too often, but here I will be…

 Bikes can symbolize many things to many different people. I think the thing that I love most about bikes is that there is no age limit. You can be five years old or eighty-five years old and still go out and enjoy the pleasures of a bike ride.

Bikes can takes us places. I don’t only mean as a mode of transportation. But they take us places mentally, emotionally, and yes physically. I have never hated and loved something so much as when I am on my bike (the hate part only being sometimes).

 Bikes help to create so many wonderful memories. Whether you are riding alone or with a group, on a hot day or a cold one, if you got hit by a car or couldn’t unclip. There are memories that are created. Sometimes great wonderful memories and sometimes memories that you wish you could forget. I can't tell you how many stories that I have told that started off with "well I was on my bike when..."

Bikes are so freeing. In my life (yes, I know it has been short) I have never found something so freeing and peaceful as when I am on my bike. For me personally it’s when I’m flying down the side of a mountain, kicking up dust, bouncing over rocks, and coming around switchbacks. That for me is when I am at my most peaceful place (and no, I’m not kidding).

 Bikes never ask for anything in return, they never ask where you were the night before, why you have spent so much time apart or why you missed your early training ride, again. They are always just waiting to be ridden, it doesn’t matter if they have been sitting in the garage for a year or it is has only been a few hours.

 Bikes become a part of our families, if you think that is weird then maybe you haven’t spent enough time with bikes, or maybe I’m weird. Probably both. Ha. The naming of our beloved bikes probably doesn’t help with the attachment issues either. I named mine after a Ninja Turtle, Donatello. If that doesn’t scream tough, I don’t what does. I have friends who have named their bikes after ex-lovers, famous hockey players, idols, curse words, if you can think of it, a bike has been named it.

Bikes are awesome. If you haven’t been on one in awhile and are wanting to get back out there, GO. There should be nothing stopping you. Just look for that bike that’s waiting to be ridden.