When it was time for Pash to come home,
I had mixed feelings not only about how to get her there,
but what she meant to me.
The heat had finally broken,
the sky was clear and blue,
but the wind, oh that wind, she was a whipping.
We had about a 9 mile ride ahead of us,
and I have to admit I wondered,
can we do this?
Can I do this?
Is this crazy?
Am I crazy?
And then I said to myself,
Of COURSE you can do this,
for pete's sake it is only 9 miles,
you can do this in your sleep,
and so what if it takes you all day!
Get serious,
have an adventure,
and be the bicyclist that you are.
I don't often walk up hills,
and I refuse to take a bicycle home
in a mini-van,
especially after she has been gone for so long,
especially because I do not own a mini van
especially because I know how to ride a bicycle
and especially because we needed some time alone,
time to get reacquainted.
Pash has been gone for about 5 weeks.
I would not be honest if I didn't say during this time I had thoughts.
Thoughts of letting her go,
thoughts that she was frivolous,
thoughts that she was ridiculous,
thoughts that she was too heavy,
thoughts that she was too nice,
thoughts that she was not the bicycle for me.
But I like to ride bicycles,
and being it was such a beautiful day,
I did not let the 28+mph gusts
or the 9 mile ride
deter me.
My legs were toast from my Saturday ride
and I was ready for a different sort of Sunday ride.
So H and the pup dropped me off at the shop,
and home Pash and I rode.
Relieved to finally have her with me again,
my spirits were lifted
and I gave nary a care to the wind.
Maybe it is that I am in admittedly pretty damn good shape
after 1100+miles of biking in lycra,
maybe it is that Pash is just a hell of a good quality bicycle,
maybe it was my mindset to have a different ride for today,
but I like the Pash.
She has her limits,
but oh yes,
she has her strengths
and once again I was truly impressed with the Pash.
She rides like a dream,
she carries me easily on my way,
she works with me, not against me,
she is a thing of beauty,
a work of art,
and a damn good bicycle
in every way.
I care deeply for Pash,
and I think her and I may be forever friends.
This is not a love affair that takes one by storm,
rather a long growing deep appreciation
for what we have to offer each other.
I see us aging gracefully together,
steady, strong, and forever hyggelig...
