Your Mercian deserves this send off, and I enjoyed reading how you grew up together.
I am reminded again, cars are disposable and end up as waste, not so a steel frame. As you observe “even after 42 years, the Reynolds 531, steel frame is still in good shape”.
My memory of that bike is you banging it out the dorm room door across the hall as I tried to sleep in! Thoroughly enjoyed your article - fun to reminisce! Enjoyed catching up with you this week as well.
Glad to know that I was successful in waking you! By the way, another resident of our wing from freshman year confirmed that, yes, I was obnoxious about my bike!
This 83 year old woman still has the Motobecane bicycle purchased in the early 1970s. Probably time to donate it as I will never ride it again. But reading this piece brought back memories galore of happy rides. Thanks for that!
Thank you for this fond eulogy for “the beautiful, though now slightly dinged and scratched, Mercian”.
I read with interest because I am writing about a cross-country bike ride by an underprepared teen…so none of your lovely tech advantages! Have you ever crossed the Cascades? I’m curious.
On my journey home from college I biked over the North Cascades and encountered what we called the "dreaded Loop Loop Syndrome," which develops when you head up and up a pass that you didn't know existed.
Sorry to be slow to respond. It was a mental thing. We had expected a flat day and it turned into a long grind (at this point we were more than 2,000 miles into the trip so we were in good shape) on a hot day. We didn't have much food because we thought we'd be in a town soon but we did have a giant peach (size of a softball), which we ate joyously.
This story is so appreciated for its acute attention to what might seem like ephemeral passions and focus shape our values and our future. Thanks for the reminder, David!
I read your bike story while cooling down after a lovely hour and a half on my fat tire bike on snow covered trails in the Wissahickon (1800 acre woodland in Philadelphia).You are a CC grad right? A lot of my friends did that Aspen trip when I was a student. I met a bunch of them there one time after driving over in my beleaguered Wagoneer. October Block Break I think it was. On the way back on kind of a dare I took a dip in the pond at the top of Independence Pass. Snow all around, tourists in puffy down parkas. They were perplexed. We were doubled over with laughter.
My first “serious” biking also began at CC, though not as serious as you; lots of trips to Garden of the Gods as I adjusted to a drop bar touring bike that I got for my 21st birthday—a big change from the Schwinn 3 speed I had ridden up until then. That bike, a hand built Trek, went to a student of mine a couple of decades ago and I hope is still on the road. Now I have a bunch of others; we keep trying to deaccess only to acquire more. Different bikes for different purposes --and changing up keeps riding interesting.
You made the right decision to pass your beloved to another owner. It is not like you are quitting riding. Better it is used and appreciated than it gather dust.
As they say in the world of off road driving: keep the rubber side down.
David, nice work on the high pass swim! I will try to keep that side down! And, yes, I did go to CC. Also had the pleasure of riding to Breckinridge. DBW
I forgot to mention that I attempted to major in geology. Was slayed by mineralogy and calc II. Enjoyed most of it though.
All those field trips to road cuts. And, to paraphrase a professor, the ease of studying western river systems, unlike the ones in the east that are all covered in water.
Great tale, David. I fell off the bike-everywhere-for-everything wagon when the five kids were in school and a curriculum job included toting textbooks around the school district (in a suit, in the rain). Superintendent bought me a WA State Surplus puke blue Plymouth with questionable shocks. It was time. Earlier with only three kids, it was tricky to tote the trio. My first, a pedestrian Raleigh 3-speed lacked panache but was reliable to a fare-thee-well.
Your ode to a trusty well travelled bike, is a most-worthy bit of writing, indeed. Years ago I was blessed to receive a hand-me-down LeMond road bike that still gets me singing, "Roll on buddy" whenever I saddle up and ride the rolling hills (eskers really) and dales of our Puget lowland landscape.
Thank you for the heartfelt article, I know exactly how you feel, I have a 1983 Pinarello.
Your Mercian deserves this send off, and I enjoyed reading how you grew up together.
I am reminded again, cars are disposable and end up as waste, not so a steel frame. As you observe “even after 42 years, the Reynolds 531, steel frame is still in good shape”.
Love this
My memory of that bike is you banging it out the dorm room door across the hall as I tried to sleep in! Thoroughly enjoyed your article - fun to reminisce! Enjoyed catching up with you this week as well.
Glad to know that I was successful in waking you! By the way, another resident of our wing from freshman year confirmed that, yes, I was obnoxious about my bike!
Thanks for the change of pace, the essay, and for the insights it provides about your path.
Yes, fun to take a little deviation from the norm and share some personal insights.
I wrote a similar piece late last year about my old Ford Ranger pickup truck. It's interesting to think of the 'lives' of the non-living.
Yes, so many attachments to inanimate objects in our lives.
This 83 year old woman still has the Motobecane bicycle purchased in the early 1970s. Probably time to donate it as I will never ride it again. But reading this piece brought back memories galore of happy rides. Thanks for that!
I was just talking to a pal of mine about Motobecanes. Such a classic bike of the 1970s and 1980s.
Thank you for this fond eulogy for “the beautiful, though now slightly dinged and scratched, Mercian”.
I read with interest because I am writing about a cross-country bike ride by an underprepared teen…so none of your lovely tech advantages! Have you ever crossed the Cascades? I’m curious.
On my journey home from college I biked over the North Cascades and encountered what we called the "dreaded Loop Loop Syndrome," which develops when you head up and up a pass that you didn't know existed.
What happens in the Loop Loop Syndrome? Is it physical or mental? What was your experience heading up that never-ending uphill grind? I'm curious.
Sorry to be slow to respond. It was a mental thing. We had expected a flat day and it turned into a long grind (at this point we were more than 2,000 miles into the trip so we were in good shape) on a hot day. We didn't have much food because we thought we'd be in a town soon but we did have a giant peach (size of a softball), which we ate joyously.
2K miles behind you! Kudos.
I was much younger then!
What a ride! Where did you begin? Did you stay on back roads, parallel interstates? How did you pick your route?
This story is so appreciated for its acute attention to what might seem like ephemeral passions and focus shape our values and our future. Thanks for the reminder, David!
Such strong attachment, nostalgia in your future. Only one crash all those years? You were indeed careful...and lucky David.
Oh, there were other crashes, just none as notable!
I read your bike story while cooling down after a lovely hour and a half on my fat tire bike on snow covered trails in the Wissahickon (1800 acre woodland in Philadelphia).You are a CC grad right? A lot of my friends did that Aspen trip when I was a student. I met a bunch of them there one time after driving over in my beleaguered Wagoneer. October Block Break I think it was. On the way back on kind of a dare I took a dip in the pond at the top of Independence Pass. Snow all around, tourists in puffy down parkas. They were perplexed. We were doubled over with laughter.
My first “serious” biking also began at CC, though not as serious as you; lots of trips to Garden of the Gods as I adjusted to a drop bar touring bike that I got for my 21st birthday—a big change from the Schwinn 3 speed I had ridden up until then. That bike, a hand built Trek, went to a student of mine a couple of decades ago and I hope is still on the road. Now I have a bunch of others; we keep trying to deaccess only to acquire more. Different bikes for different purposes --and changing up keeps riding interesting.
You made the right decision to pass your beloved to another owner. It is not like you are quitting riding. Better it is used and appreciated than it gather dust.
As they say in the world of off road driving: keep the rubber side down.
David Dannenberg
David, nice work on the high pass swim! I will try to keep that side down! And, yes, I did go to CC. Also had the pleasure of riding to Breckinridge. DBW
I forgot to mention that I attempted to major in geology. Was slayed by mineralogy and calc II. Enjoyed most of it though.
All those field trips to road cuts. And, to paraphrase a professor, the ease of studying western river systems, unlike the ones in the east that are all covered in water.
I remember the feeling of speed and freedom on my new 10-speed at age 11. I was sure I could ride hands-free for just a bit.
The ride to the emergency room was painful, and that pain overshadowed the brief joy I had experienced.
I never returned to bike riding and took up walking for joy. I prefer to be grounded.
Great tale, David. I fell off the bike-everywhere-for-everything wagon when the five kids were in school and a curriculum job included toting textbooks around the school district (in a suit, in the rain). Superintendent bought me a WA State Surplus puke blue Plymouth with questionable shocks. It was time. Earlier with only three kids, it was tricky to tote the trio. My first, a pedestrian Raleigh 3-speed lacked panache but was reliable to a fare-thee-well.
Wonderful. Sharing this with my bike friends.
Your ode to a trusty well travelled bike, is a most-worthy bit of writing, indeed. Years ago I was blessed to receive a hand-me-down LeMond road bike that still gets me singing, "Roll on buddy" whenever I saddle up and ride the rolling hills (eskers really) and dales of our Puget lowland landscape.
Oh, brings back many great memories of me a day bike when I was young(er)! Thanks, David!