Valentine's Day in My 40's

I remember a lot about my childhood.  When I ask others about their memories not everyone can remember a lot from being a kid.  My memories start as young as 3 or 4.  I was always outdoors.  In grade school years we would play outside well past dark.  We lived out in farmland so there really wasn't a lot of worry about traffic and such.  My mom had an iron bell mounted to the front of our house and when it was time for us to come in and get in our pj's she would ring the bell. I can remember the other neighborhood kids saying "Brittany, it's your bell."  LOL  Funny to me now, but it did the job.  I'd say my goodbyes and hop on my Big Wheel (in younger times) or bicycle (in older times) and ride home.

As I got into high school my grandparents got me a 10 speed.  My friends and I would hop on our bikes and cruise the back country roads for hours. We'd bike down to Flat Rock River or up to Tri High School.  Flying past the cows and the cornfields, the barns and silos.  Those were some carefree times.

  As I grew up and out of my parents home I left the bicycle behind for cars and boys.  I worked at the local Hallmark store so Valentine's was an even bigger deal to me.  I always hoped for my boyfriend to bring me flowers, candy, and the mushiest Hallmark card I knew was out there.  Over the years I have received my fair share of such Valentine loot.  I still have a couple of cute teddy bears I just can't part with.

But of course, now that I'm older, these are things that are not as important to me.  Don't get me wrong, I still like some recognition on Valentine's Day.  In recent years it's become a tradition for Eric and I to go out and enjoy a nice dinner (almost always at Tomaso's).  But this year Eric brought my childhood rushing right back in!  Eric bought me a bicycle.











Well, to be more precise, Eric gave me a beautiful and romantic homemade card where he said he wanted to take me out and buy me a bike. So that's what we did today.  We went bike shopping. My knowledge of bikes is red 10 speeds with a kickstand.  That's it.

 Luckily Eric knows a lot about bikes and was able to offer me some pointers and advice.

 I didn't go with the long bike, or the tandem bike, or the fat wheel bike that Eric liked.

I didn't go with a road bike or a hybrid bike or the REALLY cute cruisers.

I ended up finding my bike at a local Phoenix store, Landis Cycles.  

A Trek Cali 29er mountain bike - black and hot pink!

 And here she is!  These photos are not the best because we had just gotten home and I was dying to hop on and go for a ride!

 

 

WITH a matching hot pink and black helmet!

 Me on my first ride...just like when I was 14!

 And some critters I spotted along the way:

It's going to be a fun summer!  An activity Eric and I can do together.  :0)
Happy Valentine's Day to us!


And this week's quote is from one of my favorite authors!
It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle. 
--Ernest Hemingway