What a great day to ride a bike. The weather was "abundant sun" and 68 degrees. Anna and I had a bike fun filled day that I just had to share with you. I lament the fact that we did not get any photos, but you will have to use your imaginations.
At 8 am we set out to go to Homewood Cycles for their free Bike Maintenance 101 class. The ride there includes going over Red Mountain. Anna does this every time she bike commutes, and let me tell you, even walking it is a hike! Then we got back on the saddles and rode the rest of the way. Since we are getting in better shape every ride we take, we had tons of time left over for a coffee and muffin. yummy.
Headed over to the bike shop. Learned a lot and totally geeked out about bikes with the awesome guys at the shop. I got a bike fitting, quick tune-up and lesson and a new commuting route (to be reported back on later). Anna bought some tools, learned to change a flat and had her brakes fixed up on Puggles (her Peugot fixie). Was a wonderful morning. Kenny also said that they are going to start carrying Action Wipes! This was really exciting for me to hear.
It was a great morning spent talking about bike and Bici co-op and Birmingham. Any followers of Triathablog probably know of my disdain of bike shops. Well, today completely remedied any residual angst I had. I heart the guys over at Homewood cycles and recommend them wholeheartedly. They are genuinely nice guys who want to see everyone on a bike and will help to make that a reality. Go and support them. Join us on Feb 21 for Bike Tune-ups 101. The bikeskirt girls will be there for sure. Come and say hello and learn a little something, all the while supporting your Local Bike Shop.
oh, did I mention that we rode home OVER THE MOUNTAIN? Without getting off of our bikes? This was a big deal to me and I kept yelling to Anna that we were totally awesome. Because we are. I have been trying to do this for 4+ months, so it was a huge personal victory.
We also rode and had lunch at a little outdoor cafe. I can't tell you how happy it made me to look over and see our bikes locked together in the sunshine.
Good day. I felt so sorry for people who did not have a bike to ride. Much too nice to be in a car.
Ended the day with a massage, and then quality time with a friend, some wine and milano cookies.
In the wise words of Ice Cube, "Today was a good day".
A shout out and thanks (again) to the guys over at Homewood cycles. We appreciate all the tips and bike love.
Hope you on the internets had a good weekend as well.
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I just found yall via bikecommuters, and I gotta say that this is awesome. I'm in Denver now, via San Diego, but spent all my formative years growing up in Birmingham. I'm a cyclemaniac, but it's an obsession I developed only after leaving Alabama. Never considered the Ham that bikeable, I guess.
ReplyDeleteI'll be following the blog though. Keep up the awesome work!
Sounds like a great day. I'm jealous because I had to WORK and sat on my ass all day. Rode the bike to and from (and fortunately the rain in LA was not so nasty today) but that was it. I definitely find the more I ride, the more I miss it when I don't. Oh, and the stronger I get - isn't beating a 'personal best' just the best?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, totally related to the warm feeling you got seeing your bikes locked together in the sun. Good times.
What a wonderful-sounding day! I rode yesterday too, but to work -- not a pleasurable destination.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way about most bike shops...so when you find a good one, patronize the hell out of them because there just aren't that many out there who understand friendly customer service anymore. I'm lucky that I've finally found a good one here in Tampa -- where I can walk in and everyone knows my name! No "bro deal", but that's ok by me!
Congrats on conquering the mountain! Sounds like a good day :) Chicago was warm this weekend, too (though not quite 68 degrees). Can't wait for summertime.
ReplyDelete-Dottie
You done good. I've DRIVEN up Red Mountain in a car full of screaming kids, so I can appreciate how steep it is.
ReplyDeleteI've always kinda liked Birmingham. Any town that goes by so many names has to be cool. When I was doing a story on Amtrak's Silver Meteor between FL and IL, the old-timers referred to the city as Hambone.
To truckers leaving the Bikini State (FL), passing through Circle City (Dothan)and Monkey Town (Montgomery) on the way to Choo Choo (Chatanooga) and Gittar (Nashville), you were Smoke City.
Going through Smoke city, the kids would always look to see if Vulcan was showing a green or red light to indicate if a road fatality had occurred that day. (Some days I thought I'd be part of a Red Day, depending on whether or not it was rush hour.)
Keep pedaling. It'll get easier. Until it gets harder.