Bicycle! Bicycle! I want to ride my Bicycle!

This post is an Ode to Doris. I love my new bike. She is a 1971 lightweight Suburban Schwinn. I bought her at the Alameda Flea Market at the beginning of the month.

She came complete with the original owner's manual filled out by her first owner, Doris Pangkorn, a working generator light, the "Doris" plaque, old-school gears (I think she is a 10-speed), a flag hook, rear bike baskets, an odometer, a rearview mirror, and a nifty pleather case for all her tools (most of which were included). It looked like she had never been ridden, but her odometer proved otherwise. She was just well taken care of. Oh, and she has a bizarre, but oh so comfy sheep skin seat cover.

The Boyfriend and I talked the price down a bit and the seller generously threw in a Newcastle. The picture above is me on my bike for the first time, drinking and biking. We were afraid to have an open container in broad daylight so between the two of us we chugged it. If I have to drink a dark beer, I choose Newcastle.

Here is a picture of her all alone:

The view of her backside (hehe!):

The Doris plaque:

The nifty rearview mirror, gear shifter thingies (see, look how much I know about bikes), the generator light:

I went to get her tuned up and her brakes fixed. It turned out to be more of an ordeal than expected and she is back in the shop. She did just fine on the Davis Bike Loop though. I am so proud of her and myself for actually riding 12 miles. It was a first for me.

Hooray Doris!

And Pearl likes her too: