Eleanor
Well one pm this afternoon I get out of bed after a long night working mids. I want to sleep longer but I know what I have been waiting for, it has been a long 3 weeks since I put down the cash for my Eleanor… (Yes I gave her a name.) I have not been riding bikes now for 6 years. Every since I had to have the ankle operated on.. So today I head to the bike shop…. I walk in and I can hear her calling my name., she saying lets go out and find a nice streach of road and explore it together. So the shop and I get the seat and bars all set and take her out to the truck… I get home and unload Eleanor, my youngest looks at her laughs… “DAD you have a kick stand on that bike…!” I tell her this is no bike… this is Eleanor. She rolls her eye and say WHAT EVER! Back ground… non of my other bike had kick stands. Too much weight.. and they look ugly….
So I get home and get my old racing gear…. Oh my someone has put in the dryer and it has shrunk up a little… (Hey its my story! I’m going with it) I get the bike out seat down, and look out at the long frame. WOW. Red Simpson’s song comes to mind.. Give Me Forty Acres.
Man is this a long bike. I set the crank and push off and we are away. The first 3 miles was stop and go… Eleanor did not like the way I was hold her. So I stopped and adjusted the handle bars. Then I’m back off and riding. First impressions, Man this a very smooth ride… Legs are a little bit sore, But that comes from not riding for all those years. I find starting out at the lower speeds she is a little bit wobble. But as you pick up speed she settles right in and picks up speed quit well. I do not know how fast I going as I have not added a cycle computer.. yet. I ride out 7.5 mile before turning around. Once I make the turn I start the short ride home… I find the my neck, back and shoulder are not hurting, my legs are still there. Hmmm I think I can get used to this…. ON the ride back it was more pleasure then I have ever enjoyed riding…. I’m setting up right and can see all around me… bady rabbits feeding on the side of the trail… Oh I did not mention 2.5 miles was on the road, then we switched over to a paved nature trail. several deer are in the field eating in the tall grass, 2 young raccoons get scared and run up a tree as I go by. On the trail there is a couple of small down hill runs on the way back…. We hit the top of them cranking hard, as we come over the top.. It like Eleanor say set back and take a break…. Let me show you what I can do… and she does WOW 150 yard down hill on a 5% grade… she gives me a little taste of what is to come, SPEED. So we head back on the road again and start back for home.. I turn into a west head wind. It’s only blowing about 5 mph. I look ahead.. and see a roadie… evil grin comes across my face. “Eleanor, what do you think, can we catch them?” I think so.. They are only 1/2 mile ahead of us.. We take off , the game is on. Big ring and second to the bottom cog of the 9 speed. We started to gain on them when the roadie looks back… “Eleanor he see’s us” I think… Out of the saddle, he is up and sprinting, and I start to pick up my rpm’s on the crack set. Then with out warning the roadie turns south at the intersection… “Lucky for him Eleanor…” I think, we was gaining on him… will at least I think I was gaining….. The rest of the ride home was back to a slow pace and enjoying the view. What a peaceful ride… I park Eleanor in her new home whipe off what ever road dust collected and head inside… Legs a burning and 3 steps into the house feel like I’m climbing Mt. Everst…
LIFE IS GOOD… Now where to tomorrow?
