Remember a month ago, when I teased you all with a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT on the horizon, and then I pretty much didn’t say a word of it since. Well folks, we just needed to make sure all our ducks were in a row, tests were done, no false alarms, everyone healthy. And now, our news is finally ready to be revealed (eeeeeeeeeee!!!) and I am so stinkin’ excited! Are you ready for it? Like really, really ready? Okay, here goes 😀
Just when Big Ring, Little Ring and I were starting to get into a groove, we were hit with a pleasant surprise. The dynamics of our family, dear friends, is again changing.
Little Ring is getting a Little Sister!!!
In late February, The Rings and I went to the Vancouver Bike Show, which was a huge game changer for me. Not only did I enter my very first fondo there – Women’s Living the Dream Ride – which finishes with a Tiffany’s necklace (I seem to have a history with these, hey ;)), I also fell head over heels in lust with a sleekly styled black and purple carbon-fibre Giant bike.
The ride home, I kept thinking about this bike. I had wanted a new bike for some time; the relationship my Zing and I had was no longer the love it once was. Could this beauty of a Giant be my new ride? She had a good price, a pretty spectacular price. But she wasn’t a Bianchi, and I’d been drooling over Bianchis for ages. Could I possibly be happy with something other than Lady Bianchi? She was, however, carbon fibre. She was way lighter than Zing’s aluminum frame. Did I mention she was a good price, like a really good price? But why was she such a good price? Was there something wrong with her?
All evening my brain battled back and forth about this bike. The next day, with my mind still full of lust and uncertainty, I posted both my Zing and my foldy on Craigslist and Kijiji, and figured I’d let fate be the decider. Within two days, they were both sold! Seriously, who signs up for a fondo and then sells both her bikes???
I needed a new bike!
Big Ring looked more into the Giant’s specs, and did further research into other comparable bikes. We looked at Trek, Felt, Specialized, Scott, Devinci, and Fuji. (Women’s Bianchis (my first choice) are not sold in Canada 🙁 ) While I had fallen in love with Felt four years ago, and Scott two years ago, this year’s models didn’t have the pizazz I was looking for. And my issue with Trek is that everyone has Trek, which was also one of the issues I had with Giant.
I looked at the bikes, I rode the bikes, but nothing, in my opinion, was comparing to that Gorgeous Giant – and yet, I still had reservations about her. I didn’t want to be getting into a bike that I would want to replace the very next day. I didn’t want to continue pining for Lady Bianchi. I wanted a bike that was more than just lust. I wanted a bike that was baby love. I wanted a bike that would be my forever bike. And as much as I lusted after the Giant, I just wasn’t 100 per cent sure she could be that.
And then, my eye caught the twinkle of a Tiffany blue and white bike, one fateful Sunday afternoon, and my heart instantly leaped. Ohhh, she was a beauty. Her Shimano 105 components were more upper class than the other bikes I’d looked at. Her colours – TIFFANY BLUE!!! – were perfect for my complexion. Her price, a sale price at that, was a bit higher than I had intended, but my goodness, the moment I saw her, there was NO thought of Lady Bianchi. None.
I want, I gushed.
The only problem: she was last year’s model, and a frame far too small for my build. The shop had no others. Oh man, I felt like crying. How could the universe be so cruel to tempt me with such a love and then just stomp down on my heart so easily like that. Big Ring tried comforting me, but I was left silent with despair.
But, hours later, hope was back on the horizon.
Big Ring knew of a local dealer for the brand and went on their website, hit the link for the closeout bikes, and found my beauty. There were two listed – and one in my size! Eeeeeeeee!!!
Big Ring practically had to tie me down to prevent me from throwing my jacket and shoes on and rushing out there. It was Sunday evening, he reminded me, the shop was closed. So, we fired them an email stating our interest and asking them to hold the beauty until the following Friday when we could both go.
Big Ring warned me not to get my hopes up; she still might not be the perfect fit for me, he said. He suggested I ride both Gorgeous Giant and the new girl on the same day and decide from there.
First up: Gorgeous Giant. Oh she was smooth alright. I felt good riding around West Van with her under me, she looked good, I looked good. Could this be such an easy decision after all, I wondered. Could I be in just as much love with Gorgeous as I was with new girl?
No. The moment I saw my girl, it was bike motherly love like no other. And the second I got on her, I knew she was mine. We rode the streets of False Creek, I gripped her bars, hugged her frame, patted her bottom. I told her she was a beauty. I told her all the places we would go. I told her she was my girl.
And now, I present to you, my dear, sweet, beautiful baby girl: Holly Goquickly!!!
2012 Women’s Cannondale Synapse 5
Love. Love. Love.
Any guesses why I named her Holly Goquickly?