my motobecane

My friend Joe used to call this my "motobacon". He helped me buy it at Velo Sport in Berkeley, probably 35 years ago. Velo Sport being the place all good Berkeley bike riders bought bicycles. I have three bicycles, a very classy old three speed Raleigh, and a mountain bike from the early days of mountain bikes. The Raleigh looks cool, but seems to be prone to flat tires, the mountain bike, almost as elderly as the "motobacon",  I have never enjoyed riding. But my Motobecane seems to hold it's place of  familiarity to my bones and just seems comfortable. I worked my way up to this bike starting with my first bike at age seven, a Christmas gift. I had to wait until I was eight to start riding it to school. That first bike was green, all the other girls had blue bikes, but I guess I was destined to be different at an early age. And I have always been partial to the color green. I grew up with bicycles as a main form of transportation, my parents didn't own a car. Bikes seemed like a good way to cover the miles easier than walking. There were several bikes between the first green single speed and this model, a used  three speed from the San Anselmo police department auction, a new three speed when my sister took the old one off to college at UC Davis. They were followed by a woman's Peugeot, stolen from the student coop where I was living, another green ten speed of some brand, and then the Motobecane. Most of them were basically for getting me from point A to point B with some exception. The mountain bike was added when that craze came through, and the "Motobacon" was purchased with the idea that I could ride with Joe just for the sake of riding. Which I did, before the days of home ownership, and responsible jobs, and maybe just responsibility in general. I've fought my way up Wildcat Canyon, breathing heavily. But today's riding is the mile and half to work and back. No major exertion needed. The skinny tires and responsive frame seem to get me from house to shop and back. And while this may only occur once or twice a week, the ride gives me a remembrance of youth and my friend Joe.