First day on my Rivendell Rambouillet!! Woo-HOOOO!!!!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

First day on my new Rivendell Rambouillet!! Woo-HOOOO!!!!
:D :D :D :D :D :D

We drove 5 hours yesterday to go pick it up and bring it home. Crashed in to bed exhausted when we got home. I put the bike in our bedroom the fist night so it would be the very first thing we saw at dawn with the sunrise streaming in on it by the window. (sigh....) :p
It's my very first bike since 37 years ago(!), so I guess I can show off just a little, ok?...
Managed to get some photos in between my first rides around the neighborhood:
http://harmonias.com/Bikes.html

What a s-m-o-o-t-h and beautiful machine, it's like BUTTER.
I'm adapting slowly to drop bars and the new brake locations and the bar-end shifters (whoa- no more neatly labeled numbers!). I love it all already, but still need to practice and learn to do it without thinking so hard. I also have to re-learn my balance while turning, stopping, etc, since the old loaner bike I got used to was smaller and very different proportions.
I knew I could share my excitment with all of you girls- I know you UNDERSTAND these things...

WHEEEEEE!

[KnottedYet]

Oh, wow! That is beautiful! Congratulations!

[Bikingmomof3]

Congrats! :D The photos were lovely. It was nice to see you and your new bike. :) Enjoy every moment on her!!!

[mary9761]

GORGEOUS NEW WHEELS!!! Congrats on your new bike! It is a great feeling! The Little Navigator That Could was my first new bike in 30 years or so and she's been a great girl. She just celebrated her first birthday this past Thursday on the 27th and I had my 1 yr anniversary of riding the 17th. Many happy years with your new ride. Does she/he have a name yet?
Mary

[Veronica]

Welcome to the club! I hope your Riv brings you as much pleasure and fun as Fluffy brings me. :)

V.

[tprevost]

She's beautiful Lisa... love the pictures...

Congratulations.... I hope you have many many many years of fabulous riding!

Tracy

[mimitabby]

Thanks for sharing the photos!!! It is BEEYOU TIFUL!
:D :D :D :D

(did i get the color right?)

[RedRansV2]

Great looking bike, Lisa. There's nothing quite like a classic lugged steel frame is there?

Many happy miles,

[Bad JuJu]

OMG, what a gorge-a-licious bike! Love those lugged steel frames, the classic look, topped off by the Brooks saddle. Just stunning! Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Thank you all for your nice comments!
Mary- no I have not named it yet. Thinking of "Bluet" (pronounced bloo-AY, and rhymes with Ramboo-YAY) after the roadside stand signs in Quebec we affectionately recall, selling blueberries- but did I get the spelling right for bluet? And is it "le" or "la"? Any Quebequois out there to confirm?

And Mimitabby- yes you did get the color right! Love that bright cerulean, sort of matches the sky. ;)

Am comparing small saddle bags like the Baggins banana bag for the back- but there are others as well. So far the Brooks saddle seems great- a slight bit of sitbone soreness as with any new saddle I imagine, but I think the leather will form to me nicely in a couple weeks.

Yes my husband and I are big fans of time tested things and classic look. We play oldtime music as well. He is the one who turned me on to the Rivendell thing because HE was going to get one. Mind you, he could have had this same bike too right away in his size in blue, but being a patient man (unlike me!) he's opting to wait a few months til the new green color comes out. He has a green one on order. He looks good in/on green. I like having mine now. :D Of course, he has a pretty nice Trek already that serves well in the meantime, while I had naught but a loaner bike that had to go back soon...

[mary9761]

Lisa,
It would be Bleuette I believe. From my 6 years of middle/high school French, blue is bleu, then to make it a name it would be Bleuette if I remember correctly I may have my gender incorrect though. I like that name play on rambouillet too.

[tulip]

Le Bleuet...it's a Quebecois word, not used in France. It means blueberry, in particular, wild blueberry. They are quite tasty!

Wonderful bike and photos, Lisa! Congratulations!

I play mandolin, what do you play?

[kaybee]

Congratulations, Lisa. That's a beautiful bike (what a happy color!) and those are great pictures. You're going to have a ball riding her.

KB

[eclectic]

Congrats on the great new bike!

Thanks for sending along the pics

I LOVE your haircut. Is your hair naturally curly and how do you get it to look so good even when you take off your helmet ? ? ? Inquiring minds want to know.

(I have naturally curly frizzy yucky hair so keep it pulled back ponytail boring length)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Congrats on the great new bike!

Thanks for sending along the pics

I LOVE your haircut. Is your hair naturally curly and how do you get it to look so good even when you take off your helmet ? ? ? Inquiring minds want to know.

(I have naturally curly frizzy yucky hair so keep it pulled back ponytail boring length)

Golly, thanks!
Yes, my hair is naturally curly, more so in humid weather. But I do get "helmet hair", so I have to ruffle it up when I take off my helmet! Because it's curly it can hide cutting mistakes well, so I cut it myself! I'm starting to let my silver take over now- the badge of experience! :rolleyes:

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Le Bleuet...it's a Quebecois word, not used in France. It means blueberry, in particular, wild blueberry. They are quite tasty!

Wonderful bike and photos, Lisa! Congratulations!

I play mandolin, what do you play?

Thanks, Tulip. We went to Quebec and ate those little bleuets last year! We LOVED Quebec. The Quebec blueberry stands always said simply "Bleuets", so I didn't know if they were "male or female". I had this feeling my bike was a "boy", so I'm happy for you to tell me that it is "LE" Bleuet (masculine).
That clinches it! Le Bleuet is my bike's name. (pronounced similar to bloo-AY) :) :) :)
I had a feeling "bleuet" was not used in France for blueberry, because the French dictionary had a different word for blueberries, but the Quebecois kept calling them bleuets.

As to what I play, I play clawhammer banjo and mountain dulcimer and I sing (I played a bit of mandolin briefly but never got good on it).

[wabisabi]

Congratulations on the new Riv! I have the same bike, and she never lets me down, and she is gorgeous. I had to laugh--I keep mine in the living room! You'll have many years of great rides

[Denise223]

Lisa:

Beautiful, pretty new bike :) !! Enjoy getting to know her!

I think we could put together a TE band here :D .......

Tulip on the mandolin, you on the clawhammer banjo & mountain dulcimer, me on the guitar -- we could share singing parts ;)....

Who else plays an instrument??
I know that Mimitabby plays the stand-up bass & kelownagirl plays the guitar, too :) !

Have a great day Lisa, and I'd love to know more about your bike.... They're really gorgeous.

Denise

[RedRansV2]

Lisa,

Have you seen this website yet? www.velo-orange.com
Beautiful stuff for your bike. I will readily admit to a fondness for frou-frou--if it's well done. Various body parts demand that I ride a recumbent so basically, I've just got my nose pressed up against the glass when it comes to high end accessories. I have no place to put the honey colored, super soft, elk hide handlebar covers...it's up to you! :D :D

[mary9761]

Lisa:

Beautiful, pretty new bike :) !! Enjoy getting to know her!

I think we could put together a TE band here :D .......

Tulip on the mandolin, you on the clawhammer banjo & mountain dulcimer, me on the guitar -- we could share singing parts ;)....

Who else plays an instrument??
I know that Mimitabby plays the stand-up bass & kelownagirl plays the guitar, too :) !

Denise

I used to play Bassoon and I miss it terribly! :(