A Tale of Two Bikes, A Love Story

 

I wish I could make up a cute little story starring two bikes but that’s just not my thing.  Here’s the real story, it isn’t cute, but it has a good ending.

10.5 years ago, I met Steve. I had a bike. I spent $600 on it, I think. I thought it was a super high end bike because it cost $600, I think. When I moved from San Francisco to Seattle for Nursing School, I sold my car to help pay for tuition (poor poor Fiona). That money didn’t last very long but I had my bike (and the bus) to get me around town. I rode my bike from Queen Anne to Seattle U most days for class. I thought I was an avid rider.

10.5 years ago, I met Steve. He had a bike. He also had a Jeep that was in for repairs. Steve lived in Wedgewood, his Jeep was being repaired in Capit0l Hill. He needed to get his Jeep from the shop early one morning. He was going to ride his bike (btw his bike cost about $600 x 5). Trying to flirt with him, I offered to drive him to get his bike. “Oh, no, you can’t ride all the way to Capital Hill, I’ll come over early and drive you.” (for those following from outside the Seattle Area, we’re talking a 6 mile drive/ride.)  He declined the offer, and probably laughed at me. Not too long after that, I realized that Steve was like a REAL bike rider, something they call “Cyclist”. He did 100 mile rides (and I stood on a street corner with an orange flag for my girlfriend share of those rides).

Ok, cut to the chase….at some point, Steve alluded to the idea that maybe people who really ride bikes, like more than 1.3 miles a day, were out there making fun of me on my Rockhopper. So, I left my bike locked in the basement of The Union Arms Apartment building and never rode it again. I don’t like people making fun of me, I don’t even like the idea of it. Its probably still there. If any readers are currently living there, the combo is 2-4-6. (Steve also told me I was wearing Mom Jeans recently. It was the first time I wore those jeans, just had them hemmed to my measurements. I’ll never wear them again.)

Sooooooo, for 10.5 years, I have been with a “Cyclist”. This “Cyclist” has worked for THREE bike companies in the 10.5 years I have known him. Guess how long he has been promising to get me a new bike. Anyone? Anyone? (cricket cricket)                  TEN POINT FIVE YEARS, that’s how long.

For Mother’s Day, he made good on his promise. I now have a really pretty bike that was supposed to come with some really really cool features but The UPS truck smashed the headlight, the speedometer won’t turn on, a fender was broken in 2, and the saddle bag was missing from the box. Oh well.

OMG, this is becoming a long story. OK, let’s wrap it up here.

Today, Steve and I pretended we were a couple that just started dating and does not have any kids (or laundry, or dishes, or bathrooms). We rode our bikes down to Green Lake and lunched at the Green Lake Pub. It was Heaven. Here are our photos.

He looks genuinely happy, doesn’t he?

Steve said I don’t need to wear a helmet because my new haircut makes it look like I’m always wearing one. He really did say that. Meanie.

 

I L O V E beer. In particular, Hefeweizen.

 

She’s pretty. I’m gonna call her “George”.