My New Ride

As many of you know my Dad is a bike fanatic.  He loves to road bike and mountain bike and road bike and ride his indoor bike trainer and road bike and ride his single speed bike and road bike. You get the picture.  He wants everyone to join him in his love of the bike.  My Mom, however has not been known for her love of the bike.  Especially in the summer when my Dad disappears on his bike as soon as he gets home from work and doesn't show up until dark.  Last summer my Dad went out on a limb and bought my Mom a new bike.  It's not the first bike he's ever bought for her, but had been quite a few years.  So he picked out a Breezer Townie.  It falls in the category of "comfort bike."  It's one of those bikes that you see people riding on the boardwalk by the beach in Southern California.  Surprisingly, she likes it.  I wouldn't go as far as to say she loves it, but she does ride it.  They go on bike rides together in Moab and a few of my Mom's friends have also gotten similar bikes and have formed what my Dad refers to as the "Tour de Grannies."  The last couple of times I was in Moab with my parents I got to try out the Townie.  It is super fun to ride because you sit up really straight and it's just really comfortable.  So I started wanting one of my own and when I decided to join my parents and Peter and Britt in Moab last weekend (without Justin who was committed to a Boy Scout Overnight) it was decided that I should hurry up and get a bike to take with me.  So last Thursday we went to the local bike shop and of course it was snowing, so I only got to ride the bike inside the store for about 45 seconds, but it was very cute and that was enough for me.  Justin went all out and decked my new Specialized Expedition out with a basket on the front, a kick stand, a water bottle cage and even a flowered bell.  The last day we were in Moab, my Mom, Dad and I managed to leave all the kids with Peter and got away for a 45 minute bike ride from their house to Rotary Park and back.  It's a fun ride because about half of it is on a bike trail and you ride over bridges and through tunnels.  I wish I'd thought to get a photo of me on my bike, but I didn't. My Dad says that I can ride my bike to grocery store now instead of taking my van because I have a basket.  I don't think he's ever seen me unloading my car after a trip to the grocery store.  I'd have to take about 20 trips.  Actually, that's probably what he has in mind!  

My new bike.  I love the gray, black and brown color scheme.

It's got a nice cushy seat and 

I could ride it in a skirt if I ever needed to.

A close-up of the basket and bell.