Too cool for school

Nothing much happened with my cycling during the high school years. I was too cool. I had replaced my bike with a car. If I didn’t drive, I walked. Fast forward to my 19th birthday. I received a 1976 Cutlass Supreme. The chicks were impressed, but the local police weren’t. I got caught for speeding three times in a four month time frame. After the second speeding ticket, my Dad told me if I got another, I would loose my license and my car. I loved to push the limits, especially the speed limits. The Friday night I got my third speeding ticket, I got home very late. On Saturday morning before a got up, Dad found my keys, cleaned out my car and drove it away. How did he know what had happened? As it turned out, a nosy neighbor was listening to the police scanner and heard the officer call in my information. The neighbor phoned my Dad immediately. I never saw the car again. My parents informed me I would have to catch a ride with friends or walk. They would not give me a ride, except to church. All I could think about was how totally uncool going on dates would be.

The next week I begged my Mom to take me to the Schwinn shop. I had saved up enough money from odd jobs and my lawn mowing gig, that I was able to purchase a Schwinn Le Tour. It was a baby blue 10 speed. It was the top of the line Schwinn, I think. Once again, Schwinn was my bike of choice. I had forgotten how fun it was to ride. When I went back to college in the fall, I took my bike, not a car. It was difficult at first but I adjusted. I used the bike to make me stand out. I rode to classes, rode a lot on weekends, even to the beach. Charleston, SC didn’t have much in the way of bike groups or races. So I was pretty much the only person my age riding. A few wigged out professor types rode to class as well.

A year later, I had improved my grades so I asked for a car. Dad bought me an old used car. Actually it was a junker. It was wheels, so the Le Tour went in the garage beside the little green Stingray. They were happy together. I graduated from college, got married and moved far away. No bikes in my life.

In 1987, my parents moved and they offered me those two bikes. What was I thinking? Dad made me take the Le Tour and I suggested he sell the Stingray. He did and got $30.00 for it. WHAT WAS I thinking? The Le Tour then stayed in my garage. I moved several times and the years passed. My wife tried to sell it more than once. But I refused on the basis that cycling was a good cross training activity for my running. My wife and I agreed that if I rode at least four times in a year, she wouldn’t sell it. At age 38, after running a few marathons, with some major pain, my friend and sports medicine man, suggested I try triathlon. Once again, I had forgotten how much I enjoyed cycling. The Le Tour came out of the garage. I had it tuned up. New tires, brake pads and cables and I was ready to ride.