Thursday, October 11, 2012

Revolution of a cyclist: The beginning

Three years ago I considered bikes a reasonable way to get around. You know, when the weather was good and I didn't have to carry anything heavy (or anything at all for that matter) and I didn't have to go far. So basically I never rode one.

Then I decided to move to Italy which made it necessary to sell my car and suddenly biking was way more sensible and easy. Certainly faster and cheaper than the metro bus. Of course I still had friends with cars and so I didn't totally embrace cycling. I had a back up plan....borrow a car when needed.

Then I actually moved to Italy. Suddenly getting around an a bicycle became the only logical way to get around a town whose car drivers all aspire to be race car drivers and who view every traffic law as either negotiable or written for all those other fools out there....not them.

 And I fell in love with a Cyclist. Well, truthfully I was in love with him when I moved here. I just didn't understand the depths of his relationship with cycling. Or how much (even though he loves me dearly as a non-cyclist) he hoped I'd like riding here in Tuscany.

Which explains the long romantic rides (just an excuse to train me without my knowledge) and the daily question "So where did you ride today?" and the big smiles every time I had an answer. Honestly, he's kind of like a dog...all I have to say is "wanna go for a ride?" and he gets a big  smile on his face and his eyes dance around and if he had a tail it would be wagging.

When I expressed an interest in trying a road bike he didn't waste any time. He found one that would fit me and was in our price range and available now. It's currently in the shop being fine tuned so that I can start riding as soon as possible. What's funny is that I've had a bike for over a year and a half, yet no one except Leif has wanted to ride with me. Now that I have a road bike everyone says "wow, we should ride together." It's like a ticket into an exclusive club, except I have no idea what the club is like. Guess we'll find out.

Chances are it's gonna be quite a ride.

Me on my first ride in Florence mere weeks before
breaking my elbow in  April 2011.
Me the first time I rode along with Leif
as an assistant, May 2012.
Me and one of the clients on my second
job assisting Leif in September.
My first Florence by Bike ride still assisting Leif.
Face it, I'm not ready to be alone with paying
customers yet. But I'm no longer totally clueless either.

Me with my new yet very used road bike a couple
of days ago.

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