Bike Rides

Joel finally got his bike!!! He had this bike put together from parts he's been collecting/buying over the last couple months (so its all paid for upfront -- hurray for anti-debt practices!). He found the Surly frame at a great deal online and was able to build his dream bike from there. This is what it looked liked after he got all the parts installed onto the bike (before all of his own handiwork). **




He made a back deck and two "wide loaders" which are essentially cargo platforms.



This is what his (old) bike looked like after he stripped it of a lot of its parts. He was able to transfer a lot of the parts onto the new bike which was convenient to say the least.



So we took it for a test ride the next day down along the Eastbank Esplanade and the Spring Water Corridor, two bike/ped paths on the East side of the city. This is the start of the Eastbank Esplanade at the Steel Bridge.



Another view of downtown (the West side) from the Esplanade, look at all the pink blossoms!



We got to the end of the Spring Water and we decided to take a break. Joel's bike was still in the process of getting all the kinks worked out as far as adjusting it to his body and style of writing. So we watched these kids fish.



Under this sign.



Which also happened to be WAY above eye level. There was also another man fishing there too. The Willamette isn't known for its clean pristine waters and perhaps that's why the need for the sign but, who knows. I certainly wasn't going to stop them because I would do the same I'm sure.

Also while watching these fishing criminals I saw a bald eagle! I've never seen one before and it wasn't all that close so this photo is a little like the Big Foot photos (also native to the Pacific NW if you believe in cryptozoology...). I'm pretty sure its snacking on a seagull baby because it was being chased by three seagulls before it landed and started eating.



Another wintery Willamette photo. Some people live along the banks of the river in tents and this fire probably belongs to one of those folks. Kind of a romantic way to live if you don't mind rain.



Then a couple days ago Joel put on his back deck (the top of the back with all the stickers on top.




And the wide loaders (on the bottom portion of the back.



Getting his bag ready to get strapped onto the wide loader.



We took it around town, got a 50 lb. bag of chicken food and then our roommate Kevin's bike at the bike shop (Joel was riding that while his old bike was dismantled and his new one was being assembled).



This is what it looked like with everything strapped on. Its a little hard to see the other bike strapped onto the back but we were certainly a sight for sore eyes! We mayhaps be the talk of the town, or at least we were yesterday. Joel strapped the wheel of Kevin's bike and then let the back wheel trail. It was a little nerve wracking at first but then it got better, though certainly not the peace of mind that bike riding usually is!



Disassembled.



Someday in the near future I will have someone take a picture of us on his bike together. Last night we rode it down the street to meet with some friends at a local bar and it was definitely cute, no question in my mind! I sit on the back deck while Joel rides the bike. Its a nice lazy ride for me and if we don't ride too far its no burden for Joel but I'm not giving up riding my bike. Someday I will have a picture of me on my bike. Someday, right man?

** Joel says, "Thank you mom, grandma and Aunt Karen, Uncle Paul, Allison and Barry [and the IRS] for the Christmas, birthday and tax return money to help pay for the bike!"