View Full Version : Your first steps
FunkyPorcini
07-23-2005, 11:22 PM
The talk about remembering back got me thinking that it would be nice to share stories about the very first time you pedaled on your own and knew you had control.
I'll start. It was a candy apple red Schwinn Sting-Ray right down to the banana seat, sissy bar, and grips that slid slightly between your fingers. At the time I was visiting my mom for the summer in Hyde Park, New York. I always remember the asphalt getting hot and plyable enough to make good tar balls. Nobody helped me with anything more than the gift of the bike. I rode that thing everywhere.
Kevan
07-24-2005, 06:16 AM
The first real bike I had was a Denault single speed touring bike, with upright bars, fenders and leather tool bag, circa 1962 (I was age 7). The Christmas gift was so large I had to climb on top of it with the assistance of a small wall we had out front of our house in Sandy Utah. When It was time to get off the bike I'd roll off onto the lawn to fall off the thing, remembering to tuck and roll. This was dad's way to ensure the bike's fit would last me for some time to come. Course, the winter's frozen ground made the falls a bit more painful to endure so the bike didn't get a whole lot of use for those first few years. Much later a string of typical 10 speed cheapies made their way, Varsity's, a Record and an early 70's Italian version, aluminium make.
Speed up to this weekend... Tucker, my son, and I headed out for our second spin together, this time he wanted to try the clip-in pedals. We used a bit of dead end road near the house and first went up and down its length a couple times so he could get used to the clip-unclip action. Reasonably satisfied he'd be safe using the pedals, we set out for a wonderful ride together and he absolutely loves it. He did take one minor spill at one intersection where we had to stop, but otherwise he did terrific.
Yesterday was like the day I saw him pull himself up from a crawl and take his first steps, just now he's doing it on a road bike. Funny thing is... the mileage was small (12 or so miles), the average was nothing to brag about, but I rolled my bike up to the front of the house completely satisfied with my ride.
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