Bike Ride 3, Strange Stories from Childhood

I went on my third bike ride on July 19th , and had a blast.  I only did 2.26 miles (3.64 km) because my padded bike capris haven't arrived yet and my unmentionable bits have only just healed from the last bike ride.  This ride was just the right length to feel good and get home before things went...south, lol. I also called my local bike shop, Velorution, and asked if they had a gel saddle cover.  They didn't have one that would fit my Townie saddle but said they could order one, so I had them order one for me.  They also told me my free water bottle holder is in and that I could come and get it at any time, which is great.

 The photos above and below were taken at the end of Cumberland, a tiny side street where, years ago, when my best friend and I were small children, we saw a bridge leading to a field of flowers.  It was beautiful, and we wanted to cross over the bridge but decided to go get her Mom to show her, because her Mom loved flowers.  We went to get her Mom, who insisted that there were no bridges or fields of flowers, but she followed us back anyway.  The bridge was gone.  We never found it again.  Every once in awhile I go back to see if it has reappeared.  I noticed they have a mound of dirt there; I wonder what they're building?  Maybe a bridge, lol?

 The photo below shows just a curb and a street with an empty lot at the end.  There used to be a ramshackle wooden house...more like a cabin, where the overgrown area is. A single man lived in the house and all of the neighbourhood kids were suspicious of him; I don't know why.  One day, when I was about 10, some of the neighborhood kids came to tell my friends and I that the guy had killed a kid and they had proof; a little withered hand on the ground next to the curb.  We didn't believe them and they dared us to go look at it, so we hopped on our bikes and went to go see it.  There really was a little hand, a dark colored withered little hand with what looked like fingers and a thumb.  It was way too small to belong to a child but everyone insisted that it was a kid's hand.  My friend and I went to tell her big brother, Mike, and he also agreed it was a hand.  Now, looking back, I bet it was a raccoon paw.  Their little paws look just like little hands.

It's amazing what memories bike riding brings back.

 The picture below shows my friend Stella's childhood home, from the side.  I told her I'd get a better shot from the front next time; she hasn't lived here since just after highschool.

 Someone pinned this red thing to a pole. It looks like the tail to a  Hallowe'en Devil costume, if you click on the photo to enlarge it.  From a distance, it looks like an arrow.

 My friend Donna lived in one of the brick houses on the left hand side of this street.  I can't remember which one.

 Someone graffiti-ed this house all along one side, and also the garage.  Almost right across the street, there is a brick house that is surrounded with gorgeous flowers and a huge statue.  It is very incongruous. 

 The above photo does do the flowers around this house justice, they are absolutely out of this world.  Just after I snapped this photo, the lady of the house came out and smiled at me when I praised her flowers.  I asked if the ones either side of the garage were rose trees, but she said no, they were special flowers from Italy.  I should have asked her permission to get a close up shot; they were incredible.  We chatted for a bit and then I went on my way.

 More shots of my beautiful Townie Electra, now sporting a brand new hand crocheted front basket.The basket was very convenient; I left my water bottle in the basket and it was very convenient to just grab it when I wanted it.  Last time I put it in my bike purse, which i have on the other side of the handle bars, facing me. It's nice too but has a zipper which makes it a pain for water.  It's great for my camera, money, keys, etc., though.  I really love having so much carrying capacity on my bike.

 I love this shot of my bike, with the pretty blue flowers. 

My Beautiful New Townie Electra Bike

My brand new coral Townie

 My new bike finally arrived at the bike store today!  I went to pick it up and had to leave it in the truck for a few hours because it was so hot and humid, with an extreme heat warning.  But just before 8, when the heat had lowered to 95 degrees (from 100 with the humidex), I couldn't wait any longer. I took my ventolin, grabbed my keys, camera, and an ice cold bottle of water, and pulled my new bike out of the truck.  I put my little blue bike purse on the handle bars, facing me so I could easily take my camera, puffer, and water out, and away we (the bike and I) went.

Map of first bike ride route

 I started just by going up my street, then turned around and went the other way down the street, and over to Connaught, which is a long quiet neighbourhood street.

 The apartments at the end of Connaught freaked me out because I recently dreamed about them.  I haven't been to the end of this street since I was a little girl, so I either forgot this building existed or it's never and I never knew; not sure, but i was shocked to see it.  Even the weird pavement on the street was the same as my dream.  The only difference was, in the dream, there was a river or lake next to the building, instead of this field. 

 I walked my bike across the path because I was worried about falling. It was my fist time out.  This is the only portion that I walked.

My beautiful new bike

Graffiti on the bridge

My beautiful coral Townie

More graffiti

 From there i biked to my cousin Jeffrey's old neighborhood, past his old childhood home, and the creek where we used to play.

East Balfour, Jeffrey's old street

Sun starting to set

 I passed this school, where Jeff and I, and later Laurie, Maria, and I, used to walk in and do arts and crafts and play in the gym in summers when we were kids.  I don't know what kind of program it was, but they welcomed kids off the street. It was amazing.  The sun was starting to set at this point, but I decided to keep going, as it doesn't get dark until 10 PM at this time of year.

Beautiful clouds

 I really enjoyed biking in this area. It is so cute and quaint, and like being in the country, even though it's city.  I've always wanted to live in that neighbourhood.

The end of the street, where I turned around and went back

I would have liked to have gone farther but I knew I had to get home before dark as I don't have lights on my bike, or reflectors even, yet.  I have them; just didn't put them on the bike yet.  So I turned around at this point and headed toward home.

I smiled the whole way til this point, but the ride home was not as comfortable because the breeze went away and it was so hot and muggy that sweat was pouring down my face, my body, and even my hands were wet. I had to keep stopping to dry my hands because they were slipping off the handle bars.  The seat was making itself known as well, lol, and i must have been gripping the handle bars too tightly because my left hand kept getting pins and needles, and needed to be shaken out.

I did almost 4 miles (6.02 km) and I loved it but perhaps that was too much for the first time out, especially given the heat.

The bike though, rode like a dream, and I wasn't scared every time I had to stop like I was on the bike my uncle gave us.  The Townie is a crank forward bike, which means the pedals are set forward and not directly under the seat, which allows the seat to be low enough to touch the pavement with my feet while seated, but still leaves enough room to extend the legs for pedaling.  It reminded me of riding my banana seat bike, when I used to sit far back on the seat and lean against the sissy bar (I leaned against my basket on my Townie, lol).  I haven't experienced such a nice bike ride since I was a kid.  It was such an enjoyable experience.  If it wasn't midnight right now, I'd take it out again.

I am so grateful to my best friend, Laurie, for giving me the money to buy this bike. She said she has owed me the money for years now, and was happy to basically buy the bike for me.  I don't even remember loaning her the money.

This bike is the best thing that has happened to me for a very long time.  I love it so much.  I can't wait to take it out again.  I burned 576 calories in 75 minutes today, according to the tracker on Sparkpeople!  And i had a blast doing it!