Missing my sweet, sweet ride
A year ago, I purchased a new bike. It was a pretty sweet ride. A Trek Marlin mountain bike. I picked it up from Wild Rock Outfitters. The staff were great, helped me choose the right bike for me: something for bombing around the city, but also the trails of Jackson Park. I was on my way, beaming down Charlotte St., on my way home.
You see, up to that exact moment, i’d been riding a pretty basic urban bike, and riding it hard. It was a bike we had picked up from Canadian Tire a few years ago and over the 6 years i rode it, i rode it a lot. I am not easy on bikes, as i ride all year round, commuting to and from work which was about 6km each way. I wasn’t the best at maintaining the bike, especially through the winters. I failed it on a number of occasions, taking for granted it would get me where I needed to go, and it did just that.
A few weeks ago, I went out to get my Trek from the garage where it hangs on a hook, only to find it missing. It’s an awful feeling – dread really, that moment when you realize you’ve been invaded. My bike, which had become by regular sweet ride for the previous 12 months, was gone.
When I purchased the bike, I did what you’re supposed to do. I registered it with the Peterborough Lakefield Police and applied the sticker to the frame. What i didn’t do was to take good care and lock my garage each night. Yes, i wasn’t the most diligent about this rather important detail. It was intermittent at best. It’s my fault. I was often lazy or had other tasks which were in the moment, more important.
I immediately reported the bike as missing, knowing it was a real longshot i’d ever see it again. To this day, I have not. A couple people have told me they thought they saw it. Nothing confirmed.
The irony was, it was stolen on Bike Day in Peterborough. That very afternoon, a veritable bike festival was taking place at Millennium Park, hosted by Peterborough Green-Up’s Shifting Gears program. Needless to say, I stayed home.
At that event, some wonderful folks put out a jar, spreading the word of my bad luck, and collected some cash, which i’ve put into parts to get the old bike up and running again. Yes, the old bike, which i had relegated to the far corner of the shed, was back in use.
Today I’m riding the old Schwinn again. Mind you, i’ve fixed it up a bit. New sprockets, chain, brakes, cables and proper oil. It peddles pretty nice now, and once again, it’s getting me where i need to go.
Biking is vital to my well-being. I very much look forward to swinging my leg over the cross bar, that first push of the peddle and zoom, i’m on my way. One less car.
A big thanks to the Peterborough cycling community for helping me get back on my trusty old steed. There is real community among cyclists here. It’s appreciated.
If you happen to see the above bike (or something weirdly similar), please call the Peterborough Lakefield Community Police Service at 705-876-1122.