The Cycling Misadventures of a Faudie

Happy birthday to me, Gentle Reader!

That's right--I'm a year older. Well, technically a year and a week and a day older, but who's counting right?

To celebrate this particular anniversary of my birth, I acquired with the generous help of loved ones a brand new bike. A Trek 7.3 FX hybrid, to be precise--the same one I made the mistake of falling in love with this summer. I'd actually put it on layaway at the end of September, and the husband made the final payment and I rode it home on my birthday.

Wee! This baby can fly!

As much as I loved 'Ol Yeller, the early-90s Specialized Hardrock, my new bike is frickin' fantabulous. Hills I used to dread climbing on 'Ol Yeller barely register on this hybrid. Downhills I used to fly down on 'Ol Yeller are now glorious roller coaster-like drops that have me thinking if I hit a rock or some other piece of litter, I'm going to go flying over the handlebars for an intimate encounter with the pavement.

Y'know, 20 years after I got Fred the Red 10-speed and my first-ever brand-new bike, it seems fitting I get this new bike.

Of course, I couldn't just leave the thing well enough as is. No, I went and bought a new pair of peddles so I could wear my Spin shoes for long rides (like the ride I took to Cedar Park--just over 25 miles--the first Sunday I had it) but still be able to wear my crappy old running shoes for when I peddle up to the gym four days a week. While I'm very accustomed to clipping in and out on a Spin bike, doing it on a bike that moves? That's a whole different story!

Needless to say, taking the bike up and down the street in front of the house to practice clipping out of the pedals as I come to a stop resulted in not one but two intimate encounters with pavement.

I gots a boo-boo!

I can't remember when the last time I skinned my knees was. Probably 25 years or so.

Oh well. It's my first case of road rash. Guess I'm a real cyclist now!