A friend once told me I write well, and I've been meaning to write sooner, but was never inspired towards a topic, or any other inclination. But today was different. Today I came home. Home to SS. Today is the day I busted the cherry of the Original Fearless Gearless (OFG) Mark III.
Damn shes a hottie too boot. Thing is see, The whole arguement of "can you be a virgin again if you wait long enough?" has kind of a different bent here. Well just to get started, OFG Mark I was a RL monocog like your own, remember her? Thing of beauty. Twin sisters who used to hang together all the time. I was too young when I lost it the first time, and I couldn't fully appreciate the scope of the changes within myself. In a filthy show of neglect, I sold her for some temporary cash infusion. But I knew I was changed in some way, although I couldn't put my finger on it.
During our summer together, we had some deadly urban rips, rode Whistler's mountain bike park, feasted on miles of divine singletrack, and posed coolly over a multitude of lattes. In hindsight, we had the perfect relationship, but it was just a summer fling.I met OFG Mark II by obligation more than anything. Sort of mail order bride meets distant family, if I may. Long story, but the Cole's notes are that my brother's (Steve) brother in law (Dave) was storing some of Steve's stuff while he was between homes.One of the items (apparently?) not reclaimed was a 1989 Falcon road bike. A Reynolds steel 12 speed relic hand-built in England. Cool bloodline, but way obsolete within my glittsy LBS owner's stable (different story). Dave asked if I could find it a home, or he was disposing of it- what ever horror that could be! Well being the softy sucker I am, I took her in. We hadnt met in over 10 years, but I unselfishly openned my doors and welcomed her in.
We didnt bond immediately, more like she sat in the back room at the shop until the brainchild was spawned. hey, a bike that old has a six speedfreewheel on it; that means that if I take off the six, I can put on a one! So was born OFG mark II! We rode the whole winter together, 42*16'ing century long rides through the Wet Coast rain. We went everwhere, we commuted, trained, bragged and caffienated. We loved each other. But she weren't pretty, no-sir-ee, right ugly like a vermin. Strong and healthy like a pigs nose! As springtime approached I felt a newlonging coming over me. It was time for the new geared bike!
Fresh out of the box, Bike Barbie incarnate! She was skinny, sexy, curvy, and soooo pretty! Bang! Like a no hitter on prom night, OFG Mark II was out of there! But thats where our story begins. Remember the virgin again queary? Well my ol buddy Matt is talented in a lot of hands on artistic creative ways. So OFG Mark II got a little violated, for the better.We stripped her down to nothing and I handed the frame to Matt for a week or so. While she was gone, I got new drive train parts, new fork, rebuilt wheels with new hoops, fresh rubber...We polished all that could be polished- hubs, cranks, brakes, post, and stem. When Matt handed her back I got wood, real wholesome stiff wood. The old work horse of 13 years was newer than new. He had smoothed off the shifter mounts, thecable guides, and derailleur hanger and painted her up real nice. That doesn't do justice, All the lug work was purevirgin white, and the frame is now 2001 Lamborghini Boreal. Yah, the car paint! Its like a yellow version of gold, sort of- it gleams like, well, a Lamborghini! And so I call her OFG Mark III.
Anyway, we had our reunion ride today, I've got a 35km commute and I got to show heroff to all the non-bike people at work. People knew pretty when they saw her. So, was she a virgin again? Please write to Weasel if you have input. Heck, if shes not, she surefelt like it, hey hey! But now shes too pretty for the winter punishment, and I fear our time to love and caress each other is limited to when the rainscruelly return. Then what? Build another winter bike?
My wife did a head count of all the steeds in our kitchen nook, my four and er two, and I need another? Well actually, while we're on the topic, I am missing a SS trail bike as well... BC is a tough place to own a SS as all of our trails are Goddam up to start every ride. I'm not whining, Weasel did it up everything (but he's only 40 lbs!!!) but I've got a supersweet ass XC bike who loves me very much, But I NEED new trail SS bike.
[Weasel's edit: Its all lies I am at least 150 lbs, sometimes 152 lbs]
I just realized that its late, and I've been rambling pointlessly for a long time now. Enough.
Signing out