Ride like a...grandma!

A short history of my favourite bike

I’m writing a post about cycling and the frustrating (and I’d say, dangerous) way the deaths of vulnerable road users are handled by police and the court system, and portrayed in the media. It’s been a challenging piece to write so far. So, I took a break from writing that piece to reflect on some of the simple joys I experience while riding my bike. Here’s a little history about the bike I love!

If you've seen me cycling around town at all, chances are it was on this green bike of mine. Even though I have a couple of different bikes, this bike is my favourite and it really just makes me so happy to be out riding it. Some folks have asked me about when and why I got it. I thought I'd share a few of those reasons here.

It actually starts with a sad moment when my grandma passed away in 2017. She lived a full life though, living into her mid-nineties. Shortly after her passing, my mom informed me that grandma had left me a bit of money with which I was to do 'something fun'. I wasn't sure exactly what that would be.

I wanted to use it in a way that would make me think of my grandma. I thought of the fun times I had visiting her on her Manitoba farmhouse and all of the hours we spent in her big garden there. I wondered if I should do something in my garden with her financial contribution. But I have never had a strong green thumb and I wasn't sure that any gardening additions would qualify as 'something fun' for me!

I recalled the many tasty dishes we created in that farmhouse kitchen, often with recently collected fruits and vegetables from the garden. Maybe I should make a kitchen purchase, I wondered. However, much like a gardening addition, I suspected that such a purchase would not bring me a lot of joy.

I was so glad that my grandma could still find the joy in a bike ride, thanks to volunteers like this.

Then I remembered the one thing that my Grandma did every single day - biked! Although I recall seeing her old bike on the farmhouse, my grandma had pretty much retired from any outdoor cycling for as long I could remember. However, she still enjoyed biking and every day she would get on her exercise bike and cycle for 30 minutes straight, while watching Wheel of Fortune. She continued this practice into her nineties! She also, thanks to volunteers, got outside for bike rides on occasion, as you can see by the picture. Once I was reminded of grandma's love for cycling, something I also very much enjoy, I knew my next stop would be to Black Arrow Cycles to select a bike that would allow me to do 'something fun' every time I ride it!