Autumn

Autumn

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Bits & Pieces

My hands shake, and my biceps are tight and sore. Even after a cold shower my scalp drips moisture like tiny warm streams. It's hot and humid here in Florida.

I've spent most of the day at yard work. While behind the mower I remember thinking each breath is sixty parts warm water with the flavor of mildewed river mud.

I should recover sometime next week.

*****

Yesterday my lovely wife approached and asked if I'd inflate the tires of her bicycle. Why, I asked. She doesn't ride.

She owns a Schwinn. A cruiser. Nice bike, blue. I purchased it as a gift for her birthday. Twenty-five years ago. When I wheeled the ride into our living room she jumped up and down, gave little squeals of delight and in the process I received nice warm kisses. Pushed out my chest in pride as if I'd planned her gift with great thought when in fact I'd just spun the 'ole wheel of chance.

She rode it, once. One time. Down the street, flipped around and back, climbed from the seat and said, "My butt hurts."

I parked the bike in my workshop and there it sat for years. We relocated to our present home and the Schwinn was hung from a hook in our garage. Dust settled and cobwebs formed.

Again, yesterday. "Please, Honey. Put some air in the tires. I want to ride."

Me, "Can't."

"Why not?"

"The tires are dry rotted and I'm sure the tubes won't hold air." She pouts. So, I sigh and we enter the garage and I take down the dusty relic (which wasn't easy) and with the help of my compressor fill the tires. They held. I had her bend and traced the dry rot, little lines of separation in the rubber.

We both own bicycles. I'm just as guilty as my wife when it comes to riding. Way back, years ago, I biked daily to work. I'd park my bike outside the back of the shop and pride myself on the exercise it gave. Until one fateful rainy morning when I hit a pothole and flew over the handlebars and broke my wrist and cut a fine deep hole in my forehead. I parked the bike with the excuse it was just too dangerous. She asked why I didn't sell it. Said, well, you know, maybe some day it'll come in handy when the zombies attack and I'll peddle us to safety. Yeah, right.


When she understood the damage time had inflicted upon her bike tires she said, "Well, then lets put new ones on it." I mentioned the cost and tired to tactfully suggest she'd probably not spend more than ten minutes on the road before she parked it, again, for another twenty five years.

She eased close and said, "Please." I loaded the bike in my truck.

At the local bicycle dealer, I roll the Schwinn inside and the young man at the counter came around and said, "Oh my God. A real Schwinn. Hey, Louie, come take a look at this old beauty."

I think they were all of ten years old. Sweet Wife beamed in their glory. Counter Guy says, "Hey, the paint is metal flake. Check this out, pre-buyout...made in Hungary. Hey, Dude, this is cool."

I stand back and watch the boys caress Sweet Wife's bike, and before long they've selected new rubber and tubes, lube the old girl and installed a new water bottle holder. Sweet Wife shops. She selects a new gel-padded seat cover and was just about to the clothing department before I pulled back the reins.  Cha-ching...stuffs expensive.

I paid the tab and we leave and I glance over and notice Sweet Wife is all smiles. I'm sure she dreamed of the July tour in France, riding high alongside the boys as they cross the finish line in Paris.

Back home. "Honey."

I have her Schwinn's kickstand in place as she mounts. "Yes?"

"Get your bike ready." Ah, man....

She takes the new rubber out for a test ride. I can hear her giggles from a block away. What the heck. I walk to a back bedroom of our house and gently roll my old Schwinn Black Phantom into the garage and fill her tires. She stills shines.

We had a nice ride. Kinda felt good. Tell 'ya what...those old boys over in France better get ready for next year...we're gonna kick their butts.


Above, Sweet Wife and her Schwinn...test ride.

*****

Recently a friend suggested I watch a series of movies, shows, titled 'Games of Thrones.' Well, should I?





Later,

Stephen













20 comments:

  1. Stephen,

    I first have to say, I love your new blog header!!!!

    Schwinn bikes are the best, glad to hear you and Sweet Wife are back riding after 25 years.

    Give SW a hug for me. Enjoy the rest of your weekend :-)

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    1. Well, thank you, Sandy...I thought I'd try something new and change my header picture ever so often, like many of the other famous blog writers out there...so expect a different one ever other day or so. Yes, it's nice to ride again, even at our advanced age. (insert silly smile face here) thanks, Sweet Girl, and I'll pass along the hug.

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  2. Those old Schwinns were the good ones. Worth putting back on the road.

    I'm still riding the bike I bought last year.

    Maybe 15 years ago I bought my lovely wife a nice bike. She rode it once. Sometimes she has balance issues. Keeps vertigo medicine handy. Weird thing, the problem has never affected her on the sailboat,so i should count my blessings.

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    1. My wife's only complaint about riding was her sore butt. With this new gel pad she's changed her mind, that and the fact she wants to slim down...which I thinks just silly as I feel she looks just fine. Thanks, my friend.

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    2. My daughter got gel padded hand grips for her bike. She works with her hands so the extra padding is nice.

      Padded bike shorts just look silly. Never get those. Ever. Even looks bad on hot girls.

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  3. Looks like you two have a new hobby! Great that you'll be able to pedal up and down that nice flat road together. (Sweet Wife just needs 'streamers' for the handle grips and you can attach playing cards to the spokes) Have fun!

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    1. Hobby, no way. Wait until the cold arrives...she'll hide by the fire and tell me to ride and tell her about the experience. Thanks, sweet lady.

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  4. Love those old bikes! Can't say the same or Florida. The temperature here is 73* humidity @57 and sunny! Great summers here in Oregon.

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    1. I do so miss the Northwest....as you know I lived a wee bit north of your location many years ago and still, to this day, dream of my life there....the bikes are nice, for a change. Thanks, my friend.

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  5. Game of Thrones is very, very good. Very violent, and quite a bit of nudity, but very good.

    Don't get too attached to most of the characters, though.

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    Replies
    1. Excellent, what's not to like about violence and nudity...I'll watch. Thank you, my lovely friend.

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  6. I'm too old for bikes now. They make good sense but even if I had one, I'd have to put it in the truck and drive it to somewhere I could ride it. Glenn had an expensive mountain bike, but when they left Canada they had to give away almost everything they owned, because we had no way to haul it all the way back here. The mountain bike went to one of his friends, and now we are bikeless.

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    1. Now don't lay that 'too old' stuff on me, Harry. If you remember I'm older than you and can still peddle with the best of 'em, albeit slower than years past. Even cut my own grass, again. It just takes us longer to heal after a spill. And, the pain...well, three pain killers instead of two. Don't sell yourself short. I remember when Glenn had to move and you had to deal with the storage problem...shame. Thanks, my friend.

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  7. We also have bikes, but haven't ridden in about five years now. My wife bought a replacement gel seat after the first ride, too. I'm glad to hear that SW likes her bike now; riding is still fun ... just need to be reminded more often.

    Enjoy!

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    1. Our first ride up the street (and I mean, up since our street is downhill to the river) she left me in the dust. Next time I have plans for a tow rope. It was fun. Thanks, my friend.

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  8. I see she has you wrapped around her little finger, as my wife does with me. The things we do for love. Plus peace and quite.

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  9. Oh, yes, Rob...she's had me tied to her little finger (para-cord) from the first day we were wed....not wrapped, tied. Tightly. She's sweet about though. Thanks, my friend.

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  10. Good for you.
    Heh...Nice bikes they are the old Schwinns!!!

    My MBWITW rides daily. (Me not so much, I tend to do things I shouldn't and get hurt.Like riding me Son's mountain bike this spring with sandals on and slipping foot off petal and lacerating back of heel pretty nicely of course on the surgically repaired Achilles foot!)
    On a Schwinn I bought her 20 plus years ago.
    Along with one for me.
    I also understand my first big bike, bought sometime in the 60's, a 26" Schwinn still resides in my parents attic...Some day....

    Enjoy...I intend to as soon as it gets cooler...

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    1. Dig the old bike out and have some fun...just relax downhill and wear boots...thanks, my friend.

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