In a galaxy far, far away in a time long, long ago, I rode a Concord 10-speed. (Concord was a company in Columbus, Ohio, my home town, that imported Japanese bikes.) My best friend and I rode all over as teenagers and had a ball.
By college, I moved on to motorcycles and I owned 10 of them over a period of 50 years. Most were touring/sport touring motorcycles, excellent performers, slight leaned forward position but not a jockey crouch. I did a lot of miles over a lot of years and loved every minute.
But times and health change. Four years ago yesterday, I was coming home from a Caribbean cruise with my wife and suffered a panic attack on the plane flight from Tampa to Columbus. I couldn't catch my breath. As it turns out, and we'll never be totally sure, I had just contracted COVID, although there were no accurate test kits at the time. But my physician told me, "I think you have that new virus we keep hearing about." I got through it okay, after about a week of rest, but then contracted it again in early July and this time was sent to the hospital and ICU for the night and a week-long stay.
I have never fully recovered. My breathing is a struggle sometimes and I've gotten increasingly sedentary the last four years. I'm retired so I don't work and spend most of my time with various hobbies, but none of them at this time require much activity.
My sense of balance was compromised either by COVID or just my age (70) and I finally had to sell my Yamaha FJR1300 motorcycle. I no longer felt totally safe on it. My motorcycle days are over after a half century ...
But two wheels still appeal to me as well as getting into better shape. I'm no exercise maven. In fact, for the most part, I loathe working out. I did do the treadmill thing after COVID upon the insistence of my doctor but I found it almost painfully boring. And quit doing it eventually.
Which leads me here. I haven't owned a bicycle in probably 10 years but am trying to make a commitment to getting out of my recliner and out into the neighborhood and hopefully building up my legs and lungs, slowly but surely.
I did a lot of research once I made my mind up to get a bike and landed on several choices but my local bike shop had a Trek Verve 3 in stock for a price I could afford - my, bike prices have increased over the years!!! - and it seems to fit me reasonably as well as my budget and so I pulled the trigger today, threw it in the back of our SUV and brought it home, re-attached the front wheel and went for a short ride.
Keep in mind I'm used to huge 680-pound motorcycles with windscreens, fairings, etc. I feel naked and twitchy on a bicycle now! I felt like I was skating on ice, wobbly and unsure.
But I know it will come back. I've been there before and I can get it back. Certainly not where I was a long time ago but good enough to run some errands and explore my suburban neighborhood. That wobbliness will get better, my confidence will grow.
I'm looking forward to it and thanks for allowing me to share my rambling thoughts.