Leah...your writing and sense of humour is terrific as is your BBITW. I
like your hat, too...with or without the Irish straps
You should totally do what Bill suggested with the sardine can picture with
the hat and the bikes ; it'll be on the sardine can wall of fame for sure.
On Wednesday, May 24, 2017 at 12:22:34 PM UTC-5, LeahFoy wrote:
>
> *The following contains anecdotes about pretty bikes and cute clothes and
> girly hashtags. Not suitable for all audiences. Those without sense of
> humor ought not proceed.*
>
> I was feeling pretty good on this breezy and sunny morning as I biked up
> Killer Hill on TBBITW. The boys were safely deposited at school, their
> bikes in the racks and backpacks on their backs. I was unladen and free and
> feeling the contentment one can only feel after one has been shopping the
> day before and bought cute new clothes. I had on a simple tee (new), shorts
> (also new) and my (new) favorite thing (heaven help me, my husband really
> should make me get a job!), a white, wide-brimmed hat in a style I have
> coined "outdoor chic." On my lovely bike, sailing along I felt like
> #thatsdarling and not even Killer Hill could dampen the mood! Towards the
> worst of the hill I happened to catch something in my peripheral vision.
> Two riders, donning full lycra on fat-tubed carbon bikes with helmets and
> helmet mirrors and clippy shoes, were on the other side of the road amidst
> traffic trying to conquer the hill. I found the whole thing hilarious, as I
> imagined I looked like some sort of caricature of a "real" rider to them. I
> don't know what came over me. The Bike Snob has made fun of people who do
> exactly this, but I lost all control of myself and I did it: I shifted into
> the granny gear and let my legs fly as I raced those guys up Killer Hill.
>
> The older guy beat me, fair and square, but barely. The other guy pushed
> his bike up the hill. He circled the roundabout, passed by and said
> something about "good job on that hill." I told him I do it twice a day,
> laughed a bit and carried on. Moments later, I was aware of someone behind
> me on the path. There he was again! And he wanted a word with me.
>
> "How many gears does that bike have?" he asked, pulling even with me.
> "I don't know. It's friction shifting."
> "What a cool bike! It's an old one!" he exclaimed, riding abreast of me.
> "Actually, I got it in 2012. It's a Rivendell - they take all the best
> things from the past and all the best things from the present, put them
> together and create this awesome bike. It's lugged steel and perfect and I
> will be riding it still in 40 years."
>
> He talked bout the touring he does and how he misses biking in CA (me,
> too) and how he has big plans for an upcoming trip with 38,000 feet of
> climbing. Then we stopped so he could wait for his buddy and really look
> over TBBITW. He loved the grips ("Are they wooden?!"), he loved the bars
> ("Wow, I really like the shape of those!"), he admired the racks ("I love
> how you have these racks and panniers!"). He asked me all about Rivendell,
> and I did my best to tell him. He had never heard of it, so I tried to jog
> his memory (Do you read the Bike Snob? Heard of Bridgestone? No?). I fear
> we're in different biking worlds, I said. I finally hit pay-dirt when I
> asked if he's ever heard the term "retrogrouch." Yeah, in fact he had.
> "Well that was coined to describe Grant Petersen." I hope I told him right;
> that was my understanding, at least. He continued to notice little details
> on my bike and I continued to purr like a cat on the inside, because how
> often does ANYONE appreciate my retro-beach-cruiser-no gears-bike? Finally,
> someone who was beginning to see it for what it is. A legit bike that is
> beautiful and functional and can beat you up Killer Hill.
>
> His buddy finally arrived and was so worn out he wouldn't even get off his
> bike; he rode it in slow circles as he gasped for breath. He gave me the
> side eye as I stood there in my silly outfit with my silly bike, having
> beat him by a mile. Oh, I hope he has a sense of humor!
>
> "Come and look at this girl's bike!" said his friend.
> "Let's go get Starbucks, " he said, "I'm burning up."
>
> You can't win 'em all, folks! But maybe rivbike.com will get a new
> visitor, and possibly a new bike order.
>
> Yours, Leah
>
> PS. Two photos for visuals to this zany tale. 1. No one can ignore a bike
> this gorgeous! Robin's egg blue with red heart lugs, and all the bags you
> could want, for crying out loud! 2. And this hat, which is 30% off right
> now and would look splendid with your fancy Rivs. #thatsdarling
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