First ride

Well, my old, favorite bike made it here from Chicago just fine, and hopefully my sister will get more use out of the newer one (with no complicated gears) that I gave to her in exchange.

The old one is a Trek Navigator 21 speed road bike from something like 2001.

When we got it home, we shopped around for a local bike shop to get a tune up and new seat, and found one to take it to this past week.

The tune up was $40.00.  The new seat was $30.00  NOT nearly as bad as I thought it would be, and seemingly cheaper than in Naperville, IL.

They fixed the rear derailleur, too, which was bent, so now the gears shift smoothly again.

First attempt to put both bikes on the rack worked out okay, and off we went to the Stockyard City entrance to the OKC riverside bike path.

It's a really nice, paved path that runs for a few miles down each side of the river.  It has easy curves, and gradual grades, and some good long flat stretches to get up some speed.

We didn't get out to the path at all last year, because right after we moved from the apartment to this house in May, the over 100 degree temperatures started, and didn't quit until September.

Because of the record setting heat of last summer, we never even bothered to get the bikes out of Dave's parents' shed until October (where we had stored them when the apartment complex sent around a notice that NOTHING could be kept on apartment porches except chairs/furniture).  Then, we only rode around the neighborhood a couple of times last fall.

The year before that, though, when we still lived at the apartment, we bought the bike Dave has now, as well as the one I traded to my sister for my old one.  We rode a LOT that year, with the notable exception being the hottest part of summer, which was shorter and less brutal that year than it was last year.

So far, this spring and summer have been wetter and cooler than last year OR the year before, so I am trying to be optimistic that we might get to ride a few more times before the worst of it starts.

Anyway, the newer bike that my sis has now is a really cool Schwinn cruiser with no gears, smooth street tires, and a hand brake.  I really liked it, but when we were planning the trip to Chicagoland, I started wondering if it would be possible to get my Trek and bring it back.

As much as I liked the Schwinn, it wasn't my Trek!

So, it was great to get on the Trek again, and to have it in perfect working order.   First ride was an easy start:  4.5 miles in 27 minutes, at an average speed of 8.5 mph.

Home to some ice cold Trader Joe's lemonade....which I am now out of.

Guess it's time to back up to visit again, and get some more!!