Today I bought a bicycle. Not for one of my kids or my grandkids, and not for my husband. I bought it for me. The last bicycle I personally owned was sold in 1977 to fund my trip across Americamy trip across America. That was my lightweight Schwinn ten speed that I saved up for and bought from a catalog hen I was sixteen. It had been my only mode of wheeled transportation for three years.
I don’t know why I never bought another bike for myself. My husband has gone through several, and the kids each, but it never seemed a priority for me to have one – and so I didn’t.
I was not even looking for a bicycle. It found me, in much the same way a cat finds its owner. No, it didn’t “follow me home”. It merely presented itself as needing a home and I was available – and my husband encouraged me to take the jump.
My very first bike, the one I learned to ride on was a Sears Hawthorne girls bike. It was a strange blue color that turned purple under the halos of street lights. 24″ wheels, single speed, and a basket for carrying things. I painstakingly taught myself how to ride when noone else was looking, wrecking and wrecking, and dusting myself off, wiping my tears, and trying again. when I mastered it, I showed everyone.
“Blue Ribbon” and I regret that she ended up in a city dump, because she was a classic. I had a wire basket, not a woven basket, but the photo attached looks like Blue Ribbon.
The bicycle I purchased today is a retro 2007 Elektra Cruiser, barely used, 26″ wheels (the height of my old ten speed). Single speed, disk brakes. The neighbor had it in his driveway with a for sale sign. Helmet, bike pump, and free flat tire repair for the lifetime of the bike (a $40 value) all thrown in for $100.00.
No, I did not need the bike. The neighbor did need to sell it: his wife was in an accident and in a walker now.
I took it on a quick flat land spin: smooth, smooth, smooth. So smooth that I was tempted to try one of the many inclines around the neighborhood but thought better of it. Baby steps. I’ll do that tomorrow.
The only caveat is the color. It is way to feminine for me, but I think it will grow on me.
I’m pretty jazzed about the adventures we will have.
Jaci Dawn 
LOL! I taught myself to ride the exact same way; coasting down the hill of our driveway, and jumping off at the bottom, because I couldn’t seem to keep it upright unless it was moving. Same feeling about the color – but I expect you’ll add your own kind of pizzazz.
Tell me more about biking across America!!
On Mon, Apr 20, 2020 at 7:40 PM Jarbidge to the Oregon Trail wrote:
> Jaci Dawn posted: “Today I bought a bicycle. Not for one of my kids or my > grandkids, and not for my husband. I bought it for me. The last bicycle I > personally owned was sold in 1977 to fund my trip across Americamy trip > across America. That was my lightweight Schwinn ten sp” >