tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post8500164884116586301..comments2024-03-27T05:14:23.738-04:00Comments on Lovely Bicycle!: The 'Thanking Your Bicycle' Give-Away!Velouriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-18451579976053356952010-11-28T02:26:25.668-05:002010-11-28T02:26:25.668-05:00Thank you once again, everybody, for your notes an...Thank you once again, everybody, for your notes and stories! The recipient has now been announced <a href="http://lovelybike.blogspot.com/2010/11/announcing-hat-recipient.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>.Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-44671363810867819622010-11-27T14:29:13.542-05:002010-11-27T14:29:13.542-05:00I missed this by a day... but I have to say I do l...I missed this by a day... but I have to say I do love my sweet 24" folding Dutch Union. I found her in a Dutch thrift store for 60 euros and squee'd thru the store while everyone looked at me funny.<br /><br />She has been a constant joy especially when we sit on the train together. Other commuters have tiny little Dahon's, but I have this massive Univow that proclaims loudly that a folder CAN be luxurious!<br /><br />-Rona<br />http://ronajustine.blogspot.comRonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16096213034605839343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-11213964958224055022010-11-27T03:25:15.689-05:002010-11-27T03:25:15.689-05:00It's okay, I'll keep it.
But no more afte...It's okay, I'll keep it.<br /><br />But no more after the 3am mark - I believe it is officially Saturday in all parts of the world now : )Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-27362280439565362862010-11-27T03:00:47.535-05:002010-11-27T03:00:47.535-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Sarah Dickenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08563163685002839945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-1506767317857213602010-11-27T02:58:44.236-05:002010-11-27T02:58:44.236-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Sarah Dickenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08563163685002839945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-1866285662541967542010-11-27T02:45:39.518-05:002010-11-27T02:45:39.518-05:00Thank you everyone once again; no more entries aft...Thank you everyone once again; no more entries after this point please.<br /><br />The recipient will be announced on Sunday!Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-82274944178186377562010-11-26T22:52:27.384-05:002010-11-26T22:52:27.384-05:00Dear Co-Motion Tandem,
Thank you for being part o...Dear Co-Motion Tandem,<br /><br />Thank you for being part of this family. <br /><br />I was thrilled when I found out you were going to be part of my life. A bike made especially for Felkerino and me? Fantastic! Remembering the day we brought you home still brings a smile and a sweet feeling up my backbone.<br /><br />Thank you for making Felkerino and me famous. I wasn't nearly so popular until I started riding tandem. Now, when Felkerino and I go out with you around the countryside, people often wave, say hello, or ooh and ahh as we go by. I know their reaction is not because of us. It's the magic of the tandem. It's you, baby, YOU. But because you cannot speak, we are the beneficiaries of your enticing aesthetic. <br /><br />Of all the bikes I've ridden, you are the one I/we 've put to the greatest test. You are the one we've turned to for most of our brevets and multi-day tours. Thanks for putting up with the extra tinkering, roof rack travel, and high expectations. And thanks for not getting ticked off during the occasional tandem team meeting. I'm sure you had an opinion, too. <br /><br />You've done well, little one.<br /><br />Love,<br />Gypsy Bug<br /><br />http://www.flickr.com/photos/gersema/4760827187/<br /><br />(@Lovely Bicycle: Thank you for inviting these posts. They are so fun to read as well as write...)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-49355864781842108252010-11-26T21:51:17.155-05:002010-11-26T21:51:17.155-05:00My dear friend and companion Rivendell Quickbeam,
...My dear friend and companion Rivendell Quickbeam,<br /><br />Thank you for riding through life with me. <br /><br />Every time I make the first pedal stroke down my drive I sense our solid connection. My back, arms, and legs feel totally in sync with you. <br /><br />You respond to my every need, zipping forward as I apply pressure, gently slowing as I apply the brakes to your rims. (I know you deserve better brakes; I promise to work on that next year.)<br /><br />I revel in the way we travel through traffic and commute together. You (and the Tubus) do such a fine job of hauling all my work clothing and necessities. I can even carry a pannier and ride no-handed. That's awesome! I know sometimes I carry too much stuff and that bothers you, but you never get too cranky with me. <br /><br />Your tires are the perfect width. We sail down well-trafficked D.C. roads without fear of cracks and small debris. On days when I feel like a getaway down the C&O Canal, you offer a smooth ride despite the hardpack and bumps.<br /><br />I love that you have one gear; we have an uncomplicated life together.<br /><br />Thank you, Quickbeam, for being so amazing. I know I never gave you another name, but Quickbeam fit you so well. I sometimes forget to share my feelings, but know that I always appreciate your steadiness, beauty, and simplicity. <br /><br />We were made to ride together, and I am grateful I found you.<br /><br />All my love,<br />Gypsy Bug<br /><br />http://www.flickr.com/photos/gersema/4924578457/<br />http://www.flickr.com/photos/gersema/4915130294/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-73899622322039447412010-11-26T21:42:03.187-05:002010-11-26T21:42:03.187-05:00Gregory,
You're a faithful Schwinn Collegiate...Gregory,<br /><br />You're a faithful Schwinn Collegiate (Gregory is a founder of my alma mater). I thought my bike riding days were over when Ross got bike-napped (hope you're being treated well somewhere), but there you were at a bike co-op. You were so charming in my school colors and I knew it was meant to be. I was wary of your heavy steel frame, but I went over potholes with ease. I no longer cringe after going over bumps I can't avoid. Hope we'll be enjoying Christmas and winter together!<br /><br />http://picasaweb.google.com/ridonkulusblog/UntitledAlbum?authkey=Gv1sRgCO31od7U0-jQJQ#5544053201545628722<br /><br />http://picasaweb.google.com/ridonkulusblog/UntitledAlbum?authkey=Gv1sRgCO31od7U0-jQJQ#5544053201545628722Ridonkulushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00270308575611795934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-41765728682476541842010-11-26T19:42:27.173-05:002010-11-26T19:42:27.173-05:00Oscar,
You know how much I appreciate you, and I’...Oscar,<br /><br />You know how much I appreciate you, and I’m certain that you appreciate me too. My friend left you in a pile of trash, ridiculed and bemoaned by his other friends. Despite their heckling, I saw through your oily and rusty exterior and took you home with me.<br /><br />After a few days of cleaning and less than $40 worth of replacement parts and upgrades, you were ready to ride. I wasn’t expecting much, as I had already written you off as a beater bike, but that first ride was absolutely thrilling! For the first time since I was kid, I had a bike that was actually *fun* to ride. We’d only meant to go around the block once, but we ended up across town. You were a $40 beater bike that immediately replaced my $800 Cannondale as my daily ride.<br /><br />And Oscar, besides rekindling my love of riding, you’ve done some other things for me; you rekindled my love of tinkering with mechanical things, you introduced me to the Raleigh brand, and you launched my hobby of collecting and restoring old steel-framed three speed bikes (even though you’re not steel-framed, or vintage, or a three speed, I can tell that you appreciate your old-world heritage).<br /><br />I removed your patina of neglect, tuned you up, and refurbished you, but you’ve done the same for me many times over. For your selflessness, I am forever thankful!<br /><br />Now, let’s ride!Sean Dickenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01079776106342784225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-50787051284651250602010-11-26T18:26:22.136-05:002010-11-26T18:26:22.136-05:00I've enjoyed reading everyone's thank you ...I've enjoyed reading everyone's thank you notes as well : )<br /><br />Entries are eligible until midnight tonight US Eastern Standard Time!Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-41109343014038501142010-11-26T14:47:41.368-05:002010-11-26T14:47:41.368-05:00Velouria, Please disregard all my your and you'...Velouria, Please disregard all my your and you're misspellings on my post. So excited about posting Haro's story that I didn't double check the spelling. <br /><br />I've enjoyed reading everyone's posts. I love people who love their bikes :)<br /><br />SMAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-72306372043097415212010-11-26T13:32:59.155-05:002010-11-26T13:32:59.155-05:00http://tinyurl.com/2925v99
Dear Shelby,
How did ...http://tinyurl.com/2925v99<br /><br />Dear Shelby,<br /><br />How did you manage to call to me, a young southern girl who hadn't ridden a bike since she was a child? How did you convince me to take on the challenges of a vintage bike with no bicycle knowledge? Perhaps it was your understated beauty, with faded blue and red paint. Maybe it was the rust pantina on your full metal fenders, or the flower shape of your crank. But you knew I needed you; I needed your life lessons.<br /><br />You're sixty-two years young, and your patience knows no bounds. When I took you apart as a bicycle novice, you did not quiver. When I felt lost after a hard day at a new job, you let the wind fly through my hair. When I wanted to back out of a new party, you gently urged me onward.<br /><br />You introduced me to new friends, new hobbies, new life. <br /><br />Thank you for your wisdom: for teaching me to be brave on the streets, for giving me strength as a young woman alone in a new city, for showing me simple joy when life seemed dark.<br /><br />Thank you Shelby, for being my best friend. You have brought so much happiness to my new life. I sincerely can't imagine what my life would be like without you.<br /><br />-New GirlNewGirl!https://www.blogger.com/profile/16470680971627951725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-84266759138963455902010-11-26T11:08:42.658-05:002010-11-26T11:08:42.658-05:00Dear Bee,
thank you for coming into my life when ...Dear Bee,<br /><br />thank you for coming into my life when I least expected it and for surprising me with how much fun I could have by going fast. You're quick and nimble and race around town with me as if your life depended on it. You're bright and cheerful and are often the one ray of sunshine on a dreary winter day. <br /><br />You're a patchwork of parts and your mismatched black chainguard and black basket against your yellow frame is what led me to name you Bee. You remind me of my childhood spent helping my grandfather - a beekeeper - during all of my school breaks, always surrounding by bees and fields of flowers. <br /><br />You bring joy into my life in such an easy, simply way. Thank you, Bee. <br /><br />S. <br /><br />http://www.flickr.com/photos/51061888@N05/5180621514/<br /><br />http://www.flickr.com/photos/51061888@N05/5179736339/in/set-72157625396730356/Simply Bikehttp://www.simplybike.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-10900051557796737432010-11-26T11:05:42.784-05:002010-11-26T11:05:42.784-05:00I would like to thank my bike for always letting m...I would like to thank my bike for always letting me feel like an explorer. Whether riding singletrack miles from the nearest road or taking a quick shortcut through an alley in town I am always privileged to views and scenery that escape non-riders. I also appreciate the fact that my bike allows me to live in the modern world at what I consider a more "human scale"than that of cars and freeways.stubecontinuedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11089106606720599576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-32320029312420256572010-11-26T11:01:27.740-05:002010-11-26T11:01:27.740-05:00Dear Fiona,
thank you for being lovely and sturdy...Dear Fiona,<br /><br />thank you for being lovely and sturdy and reliable and for making my commute feel elegant and fun. You let me dress you up with the changing seasons and you never flinch at my latest idea for appropriate bike decor, be it wildly colored fall leaves or silvery holiday ribbon. You take it all in good fun and accept that no one else on campus is as wildly decked out as you are. You're about a decade older than me and have so much wisdom to share, which I'll gladly listen to on our leisurely rides through town.<br /><br />Thanks, Fiona! You mean the world to me. <br /><br />S. <br /><br />http://www.flickr.com/photos/51061888@N05/5046425318/in/set-72157624729137082/<br /><br />http://www.flickr.com/photos/51061888@N05/4975844228/in/set-72157624729137082/<br /><br />http://www.flickr.com/photos/51061888@N05/4893444509/in/set-72157624729137082/Simply Bikehttp://www.simplybike.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-66822060520135203322010-11-26T09:45:34.318-05:002010-11-26T09:45:34.318-05:00It’s been a long time now, old friend, coming up f...It’s been a long time now, old friend, coming up for 80,000 miles by my reckoning since we first started riding together back in ’99. In that time we’ve ridden through Zanzibar and gone off to Istanbul, done the length and breadth of Britain, toured Wales, Orkney and the Yorkshire Dales, followed Hadrian’s Wall and shadowed the Danube from the Black Forest to Budapest. All well and good, those shared adventures, high points, and I treasure the memories, but as I look back over the years and miles, with wisdom bought with age and experience, I see than the really important rides were the ones we did – and do – every day, and close to home: those morning loops through the Sussex weald, or along the coast, those long Sunday rides over Beachy Head, the eight, maybe ten, thousand miles we ride together over the course of each year, year in, year out, in all winds and weathers.<br />I’d always wanted to travel and see the world and over the past thirty years it has been my good fortune to have seen quite a bit, writing for magazines and generally at somebody else’s expense. But when I look back now at all the modes of travel that have seduced me over the years, I can see that only you – the bicycle – have ever stayed true. The thrill of earning my driver’s license barely outlasted my teens, and a few college road trips, while the thought of going to an airport these days, ticket in hand – once the very summit of glamour – has become merely the halo before a migraine. <br />Even the romance of taking the night train, or embarking on a long sea voyage to distant places has turned out to be much like the aroma of fresh ground coffee: somehow the stuff always smells better than it tastes. Sad to say but there’s nowhere I really want to go anymore, or at least nowhere that’s worth the ghastliness of getting there by the usual commercial means. But when I wheel you out of the garden shed each morning, and set off down the street, the jadedness falls away. The old jaunty expectancy returns. The world becomes big again, bright and shiny as a new minted penny, rich in detail and ripe for exploration. Preserving that sense of wonder is so precious. And for that ‘thank you’ hardly seems enough.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-558342429387819672010-11-26T09:28:54.416-05:002010-11-26T09:28:54.416-05:00Princess Panda,
We've been a team, haven'...Princess Panda,<br /><br />We've been a team, haven't we? Do you remember the first mountains we climbed together? The first time we camped out? The night a goat ate your drink bottle caps?<br /><br />You carried me across Europe and didn't tell me to leave the books and jars of jam and cookware behind. You've never questioned why we left and where we're going, just let the winds carry you. Your brakes have never failed on a downhill and you've only gotten punctures on the flat. What more could I ask for in a bicycle.<br /><br />Thanks for being such a great companion<br /><br />Emma<br /><br />http://www.flickr.com/photos/44035871@N08/4893883462/Emmahttp://www.rolling-tales.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-43083163568156164322010-11-26T07:58:59.226-05:002010-11-26T07:58:59.226-05:00http://www.ibikedb.net/bikes/36234-ficelle-mixte
...http://www.ibikedb.net/bikes/36234-ficelle-mixte<br /><br />To my White steel,<br />I am glad I found you. Thank you for the countless kilometers you've carried me through and the savings too. And thanks in advance for more miles to go before I sleep.<br /><br />Andy Pascua<br />Manila , Philipines<br />strong88@gmail.comUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05748834350171350517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-30952099231564171662010-11-26T02:54:41.229-05:002010-11-26T02:54:41.229-05:00Thank you everyone again for taking the time to po...Thank you everyone again for taking the time to post these fantastic entries! I am feeling the bicycle love : )Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-76369692808628461542010-11-26T02:51:47.496-05:002010-11-26T02:51:47.496-05:00Hello Hillborne,
Thanks for carrying me steadily...Hello Hillborne, <br /><br />Thanks for carrying me steadily through traffic, with loads of things like sketchbooks and stamps. Thanks for putting up with my crap, as I flirt with indecision and impulse...do I need a cappuccino or a burrito? <br /><br />I don't always know.<br /><br />But you take me everywhere. And I love you for it.<br /><br />http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=455056413661&set=a.501952778661.300818.758103661<br /><br />Thanks,<br />AliceAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09868420766305024247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-19413888005510536632010-11-26T00:47:28.755-05:002010-11-26T00:47:28.755-05:00To My Bicycle On Thanksgiving, 2010
How I love my...To My Bicycle On Thanksgiving, 2010<br /><br />How I love my dear old bike,<br />Yes let me count the ways:<br />Your paint though chipped and cracked and dull,<br />Still brightens up my days.<br />Your tires tho' worn from countless miles<br />Still carry me to and fro'.<br />Your saddle gives me firm support,<br />As down each road we go.<br />Your handlebars are strong and true,<br />You never steer me wrong,<br />You lift my spirits when I'm blue,<br />And turn my cares to song.<br />I plucked you from an old garage<br />Where you were left to die,<br />And now reborn you'll always be<br />The apple of my eye.<br /><br />Rich Polinski<br />1955 Montgomery Ward Hawthorne CruiserRich Polinskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16668886954675397098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-32072421513629870502010-11-25T22:31:12.340-05:002010-11-25T22:31:12.340-05:00O dearest Smokey,
I give thanks for (even though ...O dearest Smokey,<br /><br />I give thanks for (even though I'm from Melbourne and we don't have Thanksgiving, I like to pretend we do) how you have transformed my life. I've written it in dot points as I know you like order and efficiency:<br /><br />Thanks for:<br /><br />1. Transforming me from an unpunctual person to a punctual one. With you I'm never late for work, as I'm no longer subject to the vagaries of unreliable trams, the smelly armpits of strangers and loud obnoxious conversations of school kids.<br /><br />2. Being a trusty steed, even when I may have had a shandy too many. You get me home safely and cheaply, without having to fight for a cab on the mean late night streets. There's nothing better than coming out of the pub onto the pavement to find you shining in the streetlight, ready to take me home.<br /><br />3. Providing the ultimate fashion accessory. You really add to my outfits, with your cool gunmetal grey frame and white wheels, your single speed slickness. But more than that you provide my outfits with cache, as pedestrians see me pedal by in my vintage frock and heels and admire my commitment to bicycling and fashion.<br /><br />4. Keeping me fit as I enjoy the smells of spring in Melbourne. There's no better way to enjoy the fragrant blossoms and the warmth of the November afternoons than by riding you around my hood.<br /><br />5. Finally - for brightening my days. You make me feel good about so many things - feeling energised and fit, not adding to my city's pollution, getting me everywhere quickly without worry, cost and tardiness and lastly being a beautiful fast ride, allowing me to finally be competent and good at a sporting pursuit. You've given me what I've always wanted - a kick arse hobby - and for that, I give thanks.Caitlin Blackwellnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-32094905353460421062010-11-25T19:22:53.011-05:002010-11-25T19:22:53.011-05:00Haro, they don't call you the Impulse for noth...Haro, they don't call you the Impulse for nothing. I want to thank you for all the years of being that one bike I can always turn to at an impulsive moments notice. Though I love all my bikes your the one out of the three that I run to as my old standby, when I want to hop on the bike and just go. I don't have to worry about clipping in and out, changing my riding attire, or setting suspension. You're double-diamond red frame is still perfect. The word IMPULSE engrossed in white letters on the down tube is still legible after all these years. You look as LOVELY today as you did back in the 90's. All your Shimano DeoreLX components still thrive and your easy reach brakes and shifter are reliable and effortless. Your 4230 Crmo fork has traversed many a trail and its strength holds true to what they say. The original Greenfield kick stand, as unattractive as it may be, keeps you standing, yes Haro, just like that Elton John song: I'm Still Standing. You're my "knight rider" as well; the bike I feel safest on when riding the roads at night. Your knobby Bontrager tires keep me safe. Whether on the road, or on the trails I can count on you for a short journey when time only allows me 20 or 30 minutes to escape and satisfy my wanderlust ways. And, even though I'm looking for one more bike to add to the collection, a bike with an English, Dutch, or Italian lineage ...Haro, you will always stay; your family. Some may call you low end, but your high end on my list.<br /><br />http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagineimages1lfe <br /><br />SMAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-73937302757811671872010-11-25T16:25:11.564-05:002010-11-25T16:25:11.564-05:00Thank you bike
http://bicycle.webnode.com/image...Thank you bike <br /><br />http://bicycle.webnode.com/images/200000026-df992e0934-public/after1.JPG <br /><br />, for bringing me into cycling again.<br />You were snubbed due to your humble background and weird geometry, but I must say you were the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden.Jazzboyhttp://www.bicycle.webnode.comnoreply@blogger.com