Well, thought this new section would have taken off a bit more, maybe this winter
Anyways, the other two wheeled transportation/exercise/adrenaline pumper activity often crosses borders, so here is my story.
Being the youngest in the family,I always seemed to get the hand-me-downs on most things, including wheeled toys. My first two bikes were missing the rubber from the pedals and the first one with the training wheels which had been used several kids got me going. My dad gave all three boys Stingray knock-offs one year and my first new bike...I was hooked.
I rode that bike everywhere chasing the bigger kids, doing wheelies, putting baseball cards in the spokes or balloons to make a motorcycle sound. The summer of 5th grade, I was playing chicken with my older brothers teenaged friends and I did not blink...result was a broken leg but bragging rights. A carful of high school girls in a '65 mustang stopped and took me home, much to the chagrin of the wreckees. I had a crush on Mustangs and high school girls after that
As soon as the full cast came off, I got back on a bike and moved up to a ten speed that was my junior high steed soon after. Then I got a paper route and added a heavy duty hauler to hold the racks. I had the route for two years before I started working as a porter at the local Honda shop. Took me a few years to break the piggy bank and buy a used '67 Honda 90. Still had a ten speed, but the motor took over for a few years.
Fast forward to High School and the cycling bug called me back and I bought a French bike from Boones Cycles in Houston, soon built up another bike with Campagnolo and Zeus components and sew up tires and started doing camping and racing criteriums in Houston area...I often placed second in my age bracket...only two of us
Met and rode with John Howard and a few of his National team members who smoked our young a$$es...we loved it anyways.
Another jump in time after making a jump to a full time girlfriend then married and babies. The bike hung in garage and the motorcycles disappeared for many years. I rode with my kids and watched them get the scars and broken bones I did. The bug bit me again and started cycling on the '72 Mercian I had built up almost fifteen years before. This time I was in Austin and the hills and older body took some time to build endurance. Folks made fun of the old school components, but I could still outclimb the haters.
Replaced the '72 with a new '92 Vitus 992 with full Campagnolo components...sticker shock at $2300. Put many miles on that one and on a whim, I replaced with the current Cannondale I ride now...a 2002 Team Saeca Tour de France team replica also with full 9 speed Campy components Old but reliable.
Met Helen a few years later when she yelled at me to "get a motor" while I was waiting on a signal to change and two women on H-Ds pulled up alongside. We met again a few years later and after a few dates, we were riding Beemers and we stopped on a county road where three guys were stopped...she told them to "get a motor" . That's when I realized the Harley rider was her. Still laugh about that.
She started riding bicycles a few years back, however she recently bought a Cannondale Synapse, full carbon fiber, electronic shifting and has become a terror. I know have to work harder to keep up which is good and bad. I am back to cycling shape in spite of my Iowa Rally Hernia surgery pause. She asked the doctor at my follow up visit after surgery when I could get back to cycling...he said as soon as I wanted, just take it slow.We were on a 30 mile ride the next day
This year I think we have more cycling miles than on the motors. Sure feels that way to me!
Anyways, the other two wheeled transportation/exercise/adrenaline pumper activity often crosses borders, so here is my story.
Being the youngest in the family,I always seemed to get the hand-me-downs on most things, including wheeled toys. My first two bikes were missing the rubber from the pedals and the first one with the training wheels which had been used several kids got me going. My dad gave all three boys Stingray knock-offs one year and my first new bike...I was hooked.
I rode that bike everywhere chasing the bigger kids, doing wheelies, putting baseball cards in the spokes or balloons to make a motorcycle sound. The summer of 5th grade, I was playing chicken with my older brothers teenaged friends and I did not blink...result was a broken leg but bragging rights. A carful of high school girls in a '65 mustang stopped and took me home, much to the chagrin of the wreckees. I had a crush on Mustangs and high school girls after that
As soon as the full cast came off, I got back on a bike and moved up to a ten speed that was my junior high steed soon after. Then I got a paper route and added a heavy duty hauler to hold the racks. I had the route for two years before I started working as a porter at the local Honda shop. Took me a few years to break the piggy bank and buy a used '67 Honda 90. Still had a ten speed, but the motor took over for a few years.
Fast forward to High School and the cycling bug called me back and I bought a French bike from Boones Cycles in Houston, soon built up another bike with Campagnolo and Zeus components and sew up tires and started doing camping and racing criteriums in Houston area...I often placed second in my age bracket...only two of us
Met and rode with John Howard and a few of his National team members who smoked our young a$$es...we loved it anyways.
Another jump in time after making a jump to a full time girlfriend then married and babies. The bike hung in garage and the motorcycles disappeared for many years. I rode with my kids and watched them get the scars and broken bones I did. The bug bit me again and started cycling on the '72 Mercian I had built up almost fifteen years before. This time I was in Austin and the hills and older body took some time to build endurance. Folks made fun of the old school components, but I could still outclimb the haters.
Replaced the '72 with a new '92 Vitus 992 with full Campagnolo components...sticker shock at $2300. Put many miles on that one and on a whim, I replaced with the current Cannondale I ride now...a 2002 Team Saeca Tour de France team replica also with full 9 speed Campy components Old but reliable.
Met Helen a few years later when she yelled at me to "get a motor" while I was waiting on a signal to change and two women on H-Ds pulled up alongside. We met again a few years later and after a few dates, we were riding Beemers and we stopped on a county road where three guys were stopped...she told them to "get a motor" . That's when I realized the Harley rider was her. Still laugh about that.
She started riding bicycles a few years back, however she recently bought a Cannondale Synapse, full carbon fiber, electronic shifting and has become a terror. I know have to work harder to keep up which is good and bad. I am back to cycling shape in spite of my Iowa Rally Hernia surgery pause. She asked the doctor at my follow up visit after surgery when I could get back to cycling...he said as soon as I wanted, just take it slow.We were on a 30 mile ride the next day
This year I think we have more cycling miles than on the motors. Sure feels that way to me!
Last edited: