A day at the races (#31DaysofMemories)
Ever since I was little, bike riding and bike racing has been a big part of my life. When we were little, my dad would take me and my sisters (pre-brother days) to the local bike shop and we would spend hours (or what seemed like hours) just hanging out, talking with Terry and Perry (yes, those were their names). When we lived in Racine, we used to go to the races down by the lake every summer. We cheered for team Saturn and I had all of the gear to be a super-fan. Right down to the water bottle and wall calendar with the team's pictures! My sisters and I raced at the velodrome in Kenosha. We would spend our Monday nights at the track with a couple of other families from our church and we would all race in our age groups. Even my dad would race! My brother also raced just a few summers ago and rocked it on a local team back home. Snake Alley in Iowa was a beast of a race and I was so incredibly proud of my brother when he finished that race!
I remember when I was maybe 9 years old and I had saved up enough birthday and Christmas money to get a new bike. I got a purple Gary Fisher mountain bike. It was the best thing ever! And I rode it until I was maybe a junior in high school and had outgrown it. But I remember my daddy taking me to the shop and helping me pick out which bike was the right size and the color that I wanted. I remember the pride I felt when I finally got comfortable on it (it was a little big at first) and the hours spent riding up and down our street.
One of the things I remember most was that we would always go to the races. One race I remember (although I don't remember where or what race it was exactly) was the road race where we parked on the side of the road, at the top of one of the hills and spent all day waiting for the peloton (pack) to make another lap. The big name that I remember from that race was the one and only Lance Armstrong. Now, I know people have different opinions of him and I get that. But to me, he was and is one of the best bike racers I have ever watched.
My sisters and I had made posters for Lance and another racer that I can't remember the name of. We had a picnic lunch and we filled our time of waiting with drawing with chalk, playing hopscotch, jumping rope. It was just a perfect day of being outside and cheering the racers on.
After the race, we got to meet some of the racers. And I got Lance's autograph! Don't ask me where it is today because I am not sure. But I had it! And we all went home dreaming of wheel spokes, jerseys, water bottles, sounds of the peloton rushing by and chains clicking and clacking as gears were shifted.
That day was a blast and one of my favorite memories of days spent with my family.
I remember when I was maybe 9 years old and I had saved up enough birthday and Christmas money to get a new bike. I got a purple Gary Fisher mountain bike. It was the best thing ever! And I rode it until I was maybe a junior in high school and had outgrown it. But I remember my daddy taking me to the shop and helping me pick out which bike was the right size and the color that I wanted. I remember the pride I felt when I finally got comfortable on it (it was a little big at first) and the hours spent riding up and down our street.
One of the things I remember most was that we would always go to the races. One race I remember (although I don't remember where or what race it was exactly) was the road race where we parked on the side of the road, at the top of one of the hills and spent all day waiting for the peloton (pack) to make another lap. The big name that I remember from that race was the one and only Lance Armstrong. Now, I know people have different opinions of him and I get that. But to me, he was and is one of the best bike racers I have ever watched.
My sisters and I had made posters for Lance and another racer that I can't remember the name of. We had a picnic lunch and we filled our time of waiting with drawing with chalk, playing hopscotch, jumping rope. It was just a perfect day of being outside and cheering the racers on.
After the race, we got to meet some of the racers. And I got Lance's autograph! Don't ask me where it is today because I am not sure. But I had it! And we all went home dreaming of wheel spokes, jerseys, water bottles, sounds of the peloton rushing by and chains clicking and clacking as gears were shifted.
That day was a blast and one of my favorite memories of days spent with my family.
I live in Iowa and my sister, brother in law, and nephew ride at least part of Ragbrai every year! I am NOT in good enough shape but maybe someday lol.
ReplyDeleteThe other racer you can't remember was Chris Horner .... another top-notch racer. And, yes, these are precious memories.
ReplyDelete