As much as I enjoyed bike riding last summer, I must confess I was a little apprehensive when recently we took the bikes out of the garage for a ride out west towards Kila. Mostly I was afraid of going up the hills and coming home with a sore bum. David had his new bike and I was riding my Kmart special. I was trying really hard and doing a lot of huffin’ and puffin’, but I had trouble keeping up with everyone.
It was a nice ride, albeit a tough cardio work-out. Unfortunately, the maxi pad I wore didn’t do a thing for comfort and I still came home with a tender tush.
On the way back home from Kila way
I couldn’t wait for my new bike to come as I was anxious to see if it would help me turn in to a cycling maniac like my dear husband and daughters.
We had purchased some new bikes from Wheaton’s. The ladies model was on order so I had to wait a few days for it to arrive at the store. That’s why my first ride of the season was on my old bike from KMart.
When we were deciding on the new bikes, I told the salesman how I wanted a bike with a big cushy seat to accommodate the female form. He looked at us both, my husband and me, and asked us how we intended to use the bikes – where we rode, how often, and how long.
He confidently told us what we needed and I felt like I was having a Comeaux Furniture buying moment. At Comeaux’s, they only stock the stuff people really want. They greet you with a Coke, ask you what you’re looking for, then take you to a place in the showroom where you see furniture that suits you to a tee. No pressure, just intuitive knowledgeable salespeople that know they have the best selection at the right price. That’s how it was at Wheatons.
I continued to emphasize my desire for a comfy bike seat. I tried to be delicate and lady-like in my explanation as I saw no point in being graphic and telling all of the details of how I ended the Hiawatha with bruises, abrasions and spots of blood in my undies. I didn’t think it necessary to say that for days afterwards I couldn’t pee without it stinging my bottom.
I think the salesman got the message. He looked me straight in the eye and said that I needed to buy a pair of bike pants.
“I dunno,” I answered. “Everybody will be looking at me.”
Thoughts of people staring at me thinking “look at her, she thinks she is some kind of super cyclist” swirled around in my brain. Only serious cyclists wear bike pants, I thought, and I certainly don’t belong in that club. The guy looked back at me with a straight face and in a matter of fact tone said, “Nobody is going to be looking at you.”
Duh! Wasn’t I supposed to have kicked the habit of worrying about what people think of me by the time I had hit 40? I guess I’m a slow learner. I appreciated his frankness and kept the idea of padded bike pants in mind.
Next, we took the bikes for a test drive. Talk about a big improvement from our other bikes! These were comfortable and fast. I knew David was going to buy them.
In the days that followed as I was waiting for my bike to come in, I shopped around for bike pants. I decided on a pair of Pearl Izumi’s. They fit well, massage my legs, and the puffy diaper padding doesn’t look as funky as some of the other brands I had tried on.
By the time the weekend came, I was ready to cycle with a new bike and pair of cool bike pants. I cannot tell you what a difference that new combination made in my cycling abilities. It was sheer joy. I was free! I was like Curious George sailing away on a bike. I was comfortable and much faster than on my old bike.
We took the bike path west of town and headed south. Here you can see the Kalispell by-pass that runs parallel to the path at this point.
Eileen and Mallory. That's me along the fence taking pictures.
We passed farmland. Sometimes they have cows grazing in this area, but not this time.
The next picture is after we had turned around and are going back.
Here I am after we've turned around and are going back
A river, or I should say creek, runs through it.
Eileen and her dad on the bridge
The sky was awesome!
David leans over to take a picture
Eileen and Mallory are strong riders and stayed ahead most of the time.
Eileen and Mallory under the big sky
After a great bike ride, it was time to get back home.
We were out for a couple of hours and my behind was no worse for the wear. If you like to cycle and don’t have a pair of padded bike pants, I highly recommend you buy yourself a pair. Your bottom will thank you.
Pearl iZUMi Women’s Elite Thermal Cycling Tight,Black,Small
Marlene
