How long have you been riding

[Aint Doody]

This is really fun! I got my first bike when I was 6 years old. It was blue and had training wheels. I got another blue bike when I was in about the 6th grade. Back then all girls' bikes were blue and all boys' bikes were red. My brother had a red one, of course. I kept that bike and rode off and on through high school--just cruising around town. I didn't ride while in college--not many people at Ole Miss did in the late 60's and early 70's. When I married for the first time, I took my old blue bike with me. It was stolen! Then in 1973 I bought Gertrude--she was a brown Schwinn 5 speed--never did like the color, but she was fine for riding around the South Miss. towns. My 2nd husband had her painted 57 Chevy green--better color. I rode with another friend just around town and to the school where I taught. Then I moved to eastern OR (where my 3rd husband is from!). The hills here were too much for Gertrude--or should I say for me on Gertrude, and she languished in the garage for a few years. Suddenly one day I decided I missed riding my old Gertie and took her with her two flat tires, dust, and cob-webs to the lbs. They advised me to get a new bike. I didn't know what I wanted so I got a mountain bike - to ride around town again. Then I went on an organized ride and decided to sell the mt. bike and get a road bike. The next year I upgraded to my Pilot 5.0 and put 3000 miles on her. Last summer Gertrude went back to the bike shop and got overhauled. She's too much a part of my life to let go. I've put a picture of her in another post. She has outlasted 2 marriages and is working on a 3rd one! Oddly enought my latest bicycle is----you guessed it, BLUE! Ah, the cycle of life...........

[allabouteva]

Ah, the cycle of life...........

That's exactly it! Cycling is one big metaphor for life!

Keep these stories coming! They're fantastic...

eva

[Lise]

Hey, Aint Doody's right, my first bike was blue, too! 1967 Schwinn. Wait a minute...there was that tricycle I fell off of in 1963...I do not remember the color, but there's a picture somewhere...I'm going to find it to share with you all! L.

[caligurl]

well i had bikes when i was a kid.... and even had a cheapie kmart bike that we bought to take on our trip to NY so we could ride around town with my nieces... but as far as seriously riding.... a year and 8 months.....

[Veronica]

Lately I've had a thing for pink bikes. I guess I'm regressing.

Reading about everyone else's bikes, I realized my first bike that wasn't a hand me down, was pink, with a banana seat. I got it in 4th grade. My mom still had it. We found it when we were cleaning out her house this past summer. It must have spent a few seasons outside because it was totally rusted. Thom looked at and said that there was really nothing to save. We should have cleaned mom's house out a few years ago I guess.

V.