Sunshine & bikes

Today was lovely!!! A little chilly 57F/13C, with a breeze but in sunny sheltered areas it was very pleasant. The yard is really starting to bloom! I saw my first honeybees of the year in the front yard, crawling in and out of daffodils and star magnolia blooms.

Son Jim and I headed downtown to our local bike shop to pick up a couple of bikes we had left to get the tubes & tires replaced. One bike was a single speed "cruiser" style bike with fat whitewall tires (which are hard to find) and the other, a standard 10-speed. I really enjoy riding the "cruiser," but my youngest daughter usually claims this bike and I settle for another 10-speed using only three gears. Jim and Val each have a standard 10-speed bikes and we all have logged some mileage on our local bike route, the Katy Trail.

The Katy Trail is the longest rails-to-trails bike route in the U.S. Here's the link  http://www.visitmo.com/missouri-travel/missouris-katy-trail.aspx   and be sure to check out the terrific photos of this wonderful trail. Since my knee injury last Fall, I'm thinking I will be logging some fun trail miles as I work to strengthen my legs. There's nothing quite like a beautiful nature ride near the river. My son has ridden from St. Charles to Rocheport, about 180 miles, so he is the Trail King in the family.

Anyway, on the side street return home with those two bikes in the back of my son's 1986 Ford truck, a man flagged us down. This guy rehabs bikes to donate to the Boys & Girls Club Bike Giveaway and he had two serviceable bikes he didn't think any "kids of today," would want. He wondered if we would like to take them off his hands, since we already had bikes in the back? I've learned to take any gift offered, it's a good karma thing.... Guess what?! He gives us two "cruisers" in great condition, just flat tires. I am thrilled with our gift. I spent most of the afternoon cleaning & inflating tires on all the bikes, including our two new ones. In the photo, the gift bikes are the pink one with silver fenders and the turquoise bike with the cute handlebar basket. I did a few test laps around the block to check out the new bikes and they are a great ride! Meant to be...