I miss my bike!  My Raleigh (teal metallic 21 speed) was purchased in Clinton in May of 1992.  I’d ridden it in Clinton, Sioux City, Storm Lake, and Mason City.  My helmet was an insurance health incentive.  Throughout our time together I’d added a bag, tire pressure gauge, drink bottle cage, a bell (with a sticker that said “I (heart)  my bike”, and a rear view mirror. And this spring I had added a computer odometer.

On May 20^th Mike called and said our bikes were gone from our garage.  The next night our neighbor had 2 bikes stolen.  Amazingly s/he/they almost had to have opened the overhead door in order to take the bikes.  The police were helpful in gathering information but held out little hope of recovery.

I’ve grieved and fumed.  I’ve felt violated.  I don’t like what theft does to me.  “Was someone watching our house?”  “Was it a random act of opportunity?”  “Could it be a neighbor?”

And so I did some “bike looking” and checked Consumer Reports and ended up not knowing much more….but I did find out how much bikes cost, that bikes from box store are hardly ever stolen, and that even a modest bike costs more than I thought.  I ended up with a Trek Verve3 24 speed (black) step-through model (aka women’s bike) in a nod to my increasing age. Believe it or not it has suspension! I also got a helmet, a bag, a computer odometer and a bell.   Alas I forgot the tire gauge and rear view mirror.  And on my first solo ride in the neighborhood I tipped over when I applied the brakes. New brakes apparently grabbed more than the old.

Life is like riding a bicycle: you don't fall off unless you stop pedaling....Claude Pepper