redeyedtreefr0g

Hello!

My name is Aimee and if you can't tell, I love frogs. All kinds, even toads, but my favorite are the red-eyed tree frogs.

I am 24 and living in central Florida, happily married for one year now, but going on 7 years with Jamie.

I found this forum while poking around online, and I decided to register. Seems like a great place to learn things and ask questions, but somewhat privately- so I don't have to worry about so shy.
I am... a beginning rider? I want to ride, a whole lot. I'd like to be able to ditch the plans to put a second car on the road (and skip the titling/tagging/insurance/arm-and-leg costs). I've visited a few bike shops and discreetly (ok maybe not so much) drooled over the new and expensive bicycles. I actually rode one. Very carefully.

I started getting interested in cycling after I realized I was starting to resemble my now very round little sister, and panicked. I need to exercise. I hate exercise. Wait, I liked riding my bike those 5-10 minutes across campus to class. So let's try that. Also the bicycles recently got unburied from the pile under the stairs because apparently it's a fire hazard and they made us move them.
I happen to get really passionate about whatever I'm interested in, whether it is my dog (allergic to something, cure:clothing, but not just any clothing, I made him jeans and a shirt so he doesn't look stupid), my car (my POOR car, now dead, RIP, lime green convertible, I loved it), a book, beading, whatever. So I started researching and reading, I bought a helmet, and a bell (always wanted one), and unrusted the chain on my poor bike and started riding around the parking lot late at night.

I want to be able to make the 16 mile (one way) commute to work every day.

Currently my bicycle is a Target sale special: a Magna Excitor. Not the red one with 26" tires, but the smaller yellow one with 24" tires. The rear suspension never did work right. It was left out in the weather while at school, which didn't hurt it too much. What did, however, was when it got forgotten and hurricaned on over one of the breaks. Rust all over now. The brakes fell off. My dad helped me move the front brakes to the rear since he said that was safer. Eventually I've mananged to steal brakes off an abandoned bicycle half underground lost in Grandad's yard. Haven't ridden with them yet. I've added a found rear rack, which had to be adapted to go on, and I made a basket out of a birdcage for my Jack Russell to ride in. We just recently added a front fender.

Now that Jamie's dad is moving his family to the islands, we can probably have their bikes. His soon-to-be-wife has a women's Roadmaster mountain bike with a baby seat on the back. I think Jack-jack might fit in that, but we'll see.

So that's me. Nice to meet you.

old and new

Hello there ! and welcome,
Seems your family (the dog too) can come into play concerning your bike situation.
I'm partial to coquis myself but mention this only in passing and with due respect to you and yours.