Best Christmas Ever
Those of you who talk to me in real life (and haven’t been driven away by my constant chatter about bikes, rides I’ve gone on recently, rides I’m planning on going on, and etc), know that I’ve been pretty intent on getting a road bike. I was originally saving up for a road bike when my beloved Bici was deemed no longer fit for the road and I had to spend my road bike money (and then some) on a new hybrid. Ariel, my hybrid, is a Specialized Ariel Sport and an excellent bike for me. She’s strong, sturdy, comfortable, and very durable… Infinitely capable of handling all the terrain and broken glass my commute can throw at me. Together we’re strong, capable, free, and joyous and in her saddle I’ve lost 18 lbs and gained a whole new ridge of muscle in my legs.
But she is not a road bike.
My father surprised and delighted me by writing me a check to cover Ariel’s purchase as an early Christmas present, allowing me to take the strain off my bank account and put my pennies back into my road bike fund. And I did! I saved and set aside money and researched with loving attention, fantasizing over the exact bike I wanted to get. I wanted a Specialized bike because I love their philosophy towards biking and their body geometry work is genius. As an especially short and some what oddly proportioned girl, it can be really hard for me to fit in… just about anything. Specialized’s women specific stuff really is women specific. I drooled lovingly over their spiffy top of the line racing bikes but I aimed myself at the Specialized Dolce, their entry level endurance road bike because a road bike aiming to be a little more comfortable than uber-fast sounded just about my speed… And of course, it was much more in my price range than a few thousand dollars of racing rawr. ^_^
As I mentioned earlier, I’m really aiming for doing the 24 Hours of Booty this year to support the Lance Armstrong Foundation… But my main other teammate is suffering some pretty debilitating health issues (aim some good karma at her - she’s in a wheelchair now) that’re probably going to keep her from riding with me… so more and more it’s looking like I’m going to be tackle the 24 Hours on… my own… Err. The thought of dragging my beautiful but very, very heavy hybrid through a significant portion of 24 Hours of riding was making me feel very demoralized.
But no more, ladies and gentle! During my daily craiglist bike sale troll I found a local woman selling a Specialized Dolce. I wrote her an email, making the ridiculously low offer of what was in my road bike fund and she wrote me back with a somewhat higher counter offer, but still really low for what the bike’s worth. I told her if she hadn’t sold the bike in a few weeks, I’d see if I could save it up.
Annnnd then she sent me an email asking me if I was the Arienna with the website, who rides her bike to school in the freezing weather.
I have a bike now, ladies and gentlemen. She is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever laid eyes on.. Fast and light and just… -wow-. I’ve got her here in my bedroom right now so I can look over and giggle like an idiot while I pretend to work. I was going to ride her today during my lunch break but I lost my presta valve adaptor, so I went and got a one after work. It was already too dark to go for a long ride, so I took her for a quick spin around the neighborhood.
And, wow. <3 She’s sooooo fast and effortless. I’m gonna have to condition my bottom to her much sterner saddle (my saddle is roughly the side and consistency of a Sealy sofa), but wow. Long ride and pictures tomorrow, during my lunch break. <3