BYE BYE BIKE

Last weekend I sold my bike...

I guess Nico must have sensed my heart break because as the guy wheeled away my bike, Nico started crying. I'm gonna going to lie...letting go of my bike was hard....but then again, letting go always is. But when I look back at all the wonderful memories I'm happy that I got 7 years of great memories.

You see, my bike was my first (significant$$) purchase I ever made with my own money the summer after freshman year at UF(2005).

My bike was a part of me...it was special for the following reasons and SO MANY MORE:

• Bike has moved with me all around!
• While in college it traveled back and forth from Miami to Gainesville in the summers.
•  Then when I moved to Austin,TX...the bike also went. 
• And last year the bike moved with me here to LA.
• It gave me the freedom to get to know the back country roads that surround Gainesville and Austin as I would ride with friends 3,4 or more hours---and gave me the chance to get to know those friends even better, because all we could do on those rides was PEDAL and TALK =)
• It allowed me to say that I've ridden on the PACIFC and ATLANTIC coasts of this country...with a smile stamped on my face.
• It raced triathlons with me in Miami, and all around Florida. 
• It joined me on my first 100 miler ride from KEY LARGO to KEY West with college friends one spring break.
• It grew up with me and adjusted to my life changes:
• When I met Peter, he would borrow my bike...first sign to me that i like him, cause I let him borrow MY BIKE. 
• It joined me on one of the first REAL dates with him as we rode to Lake Walburg for the day. 
• At one point we proceeded to get matching bikes too.
• it helped me recover from injuries so that I could get back into running
• it TUGGED along the bike trailer, so that we could take our son out on rides and share with him my love of biking...and being out in the fresh air---which I think has worked because he LOVES his BIKE too!!

• But it wasn't all fun and games:

• I got my first stitches from my bike too...in Miami on the Brickell Bridge.
• bumps and bruises from adjusting to clipping in and out of my bike
• a crazy/random reck in Gainesville that landed me flat on my back steps from practice.
• and my latest reck here in LA a couple weeks ago...where I collided head on to another biker.

If it doesn't kill you---it makes you stronger...FOR SURE =) I know my parents for one are happy that I sold my bike..because of the last couple bullet points...but I will miss my bike...The great thing about memories, though, is that you will always have them to join you as you make new ones. I know i'll be in the market for another one soon as the summer triathlon season quickly approaches...but for now, I'm graftul for the 7 years of memories and experiences I got to share with my bike.

Cheers to A GREAT PURCHASE at Chain Reaction!!!