Back On the Saddle Again

When I was in junior high and high school I had a cheap Huffy 10 speed bike. At least I had a bike. During the summer break I would often ride from our little 1 1/2 acre farm home near the tiny Orestes Indiana to a small campground with a decent sized lake just three miles North and one mile west. It was a buck to get in and there was a concession stand. If I wasn't going to the lake I rode another mile North instead of going west, then a mile east before three more north got me to Frankton where the grade school and Jr. & Senior High Schools were.  The High School was several blocks from the old brick Jr. High School.  The seven mile ride climaxed with a giant drop in elevation just before you entered Frankton and you would be flying at about 35 mph by the time you hit the bottom, then a small rise scrubbed off some speed and you didn't have to work to hard to get into town.  I rode this route many times. One day I really poured on speed before I crested at the top, and could only guess at the speed, I was zooming up the small rise faster than I could pedal and had to lay hard on the handle bar brakes to not crash! That's when both front and rear brake cables broke! The rest of the day I had to slow ride and foot drag to stop. The rides that afternoon were a bit harrowing, but those old country roads were not to busy and most of the way was flat. Dad was off on the weekend and he drove into Elwood and me got new break cables.  When I got my drivers license my Junior year I stopped riding that old bike.  I don't know where it ended up. 
When my daughter was four she got her first bike (pink w/white basket and tassles) with training wheels. A few years later we had a new house built, she was six and starting 1st grade. She got a real nice new purple bike for next birthday, we rode all over that afternoon.  When dinner was called we left the bikes by the front door. Some horrible brazen piece of work stole her new bike in broad daylight while we were eating dinner. 
A few months later my bike was stolen too, from inside my garage. Again it was full daylight, the garage door was open and I wasn't away for more the 15 minutes. I was back working in the garage for half an hour before I noticed the absence of my bike. That was 22 years ago. 
In 2011 I inherited a friends old beat up 1990's folding Fuji Marlboro bike after he moved. This bike is rare these days, heavy steel frame, and yes indeed it folds in half with a little effort.  I took it to a friend who works on bikes, and after I bought all the parts and accessories I needed from Amazon he refurbished it for $75.  Since then I've logged 73 riding hours, 85 individual rides, 700+ miles and burned 60,500 calories. In two months I'll be 54 years old, and I will be pushing 800 miles.  
With food and calorie apps, excercising and MapMyFitness apps, I've dropped nearly 30 pounds since April 2012. 
Pushing 38 lbs of steel and accessories I'm Back On the Saddle Again.