My Mom is going green.

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06-15-2009, 01:07 PM
Cataboo

My Mom is going green.

The other day my Mother, who's turning 60 this year - mentioned to me that an old couple had brought a bike to her shop and given it to her because they didn't know what to do with it. She couldn't figure out how to put it in the car, so she said she was going to walk to work today and ride it home. She didn't know what kind of bike it was other than a girl's bike and it had flat bars instead of those drop bars that I use and that it had 3 things up front.

I told her that if she waited a week, I'd come move it for her or my sister could put it in her truck.

I'm pretty sure I've never ever seen my mother on a bike, and she probably hasn't been on one in years upon years.

My sister called my Mom this afternoon and asked if she could go to her daughter's school, because there was an awards ceremony and my sister couldn't get out of work to go...

So apparently, my Mom rode her bike to the school, and then asked the school nurse where she could park her bike because "She was going green..."

The school nurse promptly called my sister to tell her what my Mom did.

I called my Mom and she said that it was hard to get it moving, I told her she needed to down shift and she was saying "There's a lot of gears, but I don't know how to do that" and commented that "riding a bike again was enjoyable"

I told her I'd come visit this weekend, show her how to use the gears and go riding with her. I should also bring her a helmet.
06-15-2009, 01:30 PM
AnnieBikes

I just turned 60 last month and I LOVE this story! More power to her!!! Awesome. Please encourage her VERY strongly to wear the helmet!!! :D:D
06-15-2009, 01:36 PM
Cataboo

I will definitely bring her a helmet and convince her to use it. She was telling me the other day about how when she was in 4th grade she saw one of the other kids fell off his bike and got run over by a car and died, so I think she will.

My older brother is freaking out in email all about how Mom shouldn't be riding bikes in those busy roads or on the hill she lives on and she should use the sidewalk. I'm busy laughing at him.
06-15-2009, 01:42 PM
BleeckerSt_Girl

Good for your mom!
Someone should get that bike tuned up though and the brakes checked, so it is safe to ride.
06-15-2009, 01:46 PM
Cataboo

Quote:

Originally Posted by BleeckerSt_Girl

Good for your mom!
Someone should get that bike tuned up though and the brakes checked, so it is safe to ride.

I told my younger brother to take pictures of it this evening for me, so I can see what she actually has. I'll bring my tools and whatever spare parts I think might be useful (I have spare brake pads, depending on the application, etc - I can always replace the cables if it needs that) and will fix up what I can if it needs it, and bring it to a shop otherwise.
06-15-2009, 01:49 PM
MartianDestiny

Your mom is awesome!

My parents would never dream of getting on a bike and the sports car is far too much fun to think about how much oil/gas they are wasting :o
06-15-2009, 02:03 PM
tctrek

I love this story!! Please tell your mom that she rocks! And show her how much fun she can have on a bike :):):)
06-15-2009, 02:18 PM
Kalidurga

I like your mom's attitude. No fussing, just do it.
06-15-2009, 02:19 PM
andtckrtoo

This story just made my day! Thanks for sharing.
06-15-2009, 02:45 PM
shootingstar

Very cool, Catriona.

You'll learn a new side of your mother..that you never knew before. :) I'm saying this..because some of us (ie. I'm only 10 yrs. younger than your mother), as you know from postings and other TE women older, we cycle lots and far on our own as well.

Do not let her age be a barrier in your confidence and encouragement of her. It might take time for certain things and she may complain initially.

And make sure you have photos/videos of the 2 of you cycling together. It will be a precious thing to have. :)

What a great new phase for your relationship with your mother!
06-15-2009, 02:51 PM
spindizzy

Yay Catriona's mom!
06-15-2009, 05:03 PM
Zen

Your mom is a pip, alright;)
06-15-2009, 08:49 PM
Cataboo

Quote:

Originally Posted by BleeckerSt_Girl

Good for your mom!
Someone should get that bike tuned up though and the brakes checked, so it is safe to ride.

Ah, you're prescient.

My mother rode the bike home from work, walked it up the hill she lives on (it's godawful steep, I'm not sure I could get up it with a triple)....

And then when she gets home, she decides... Let's ride the bike down the driveway to the garage to put it away (the yard is fairly steep as well,and the garage is behind the house because of this... ) The driveway goes straight down and then curves around to the garage, which is under her sunroom... There's a big concrete pad in front of the garage, edging around that and then about a 3 foot drop to grass?

So she goes down the driveway, picks up a lot of speed... the brakes aren't working enough to slow her down.... putting her feet down isn't slowing her down, and so she rides the bike off the end of the driveway & crashes into the grass.

She said she was certain she was going to break her neck and scared the hell out of herself, but that she's fine and didn't actually hurt herself. she went on a long walk/run afterwards.

I tried to convince her to take some ibuprofen so she wouldn't be sore tomorrow,but no, she's fine. She bruises fairly easily, so I'm sure she must have some big ones.

This is reminding me of the time when I was doing gymnastics in high school and she decided that if I could do a backflip, it must be easy and decided to try to do one. She picked me up from practice with a sore neck.

I'm not sure whether I'll be able to convince her to get herself on a bike this weekend - she was busily telling me all about how dangerous it was and how I was going to kill myself and how I didn't even have sidewalks or bike lanes to ride on around me. And was saying that while she knew how to ride a bike, there was a lot of stuff that she needed to remember how to do or just get used to again....
06-15-2009, 09:15 PM
shootingstar

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catriona

This is reminding me of the time when I was doing gymnastics in high school and she decided that if I could do a backflip, it must be easy and decided to try to do one. She picked me up from practice with a sore neck.

I'm not sure whether I'll be able to convince her to get herself on a bike this weekend - she was busily telling me all about how dangerous it was and how I was going to kill myself and how I didn't even have sidewalks or bike lanes to ride on around me. And was saying that while she knew how to ride a bike, there was a lot of stuff that she needed to remember how to do or just get used to again....

Your mother is an interesting person and risk taker even if she worries about you alot. Look forward to the next installment on your saga. But hope she'll be in a good mood to retry the bike on a flatter area.