Dear Grandpa,
Thank you so much for the beautiful bike! I’m calling her PJ since she’s got a Panama Jack design. :) It was such a lovely and thoughtful gift.
Honestly, I never would have asked for a bike, as it never occurred to me that I might like one. But from the moment you presented it to me, I was in love. And the moment I sat on the seat and took off pedaling (thank goodness that it’s true, “you never forget how to ride a bike,” as I haven’t ridden one since I was ten!) was one of the happiest moments of my life. It felt like freedom, and I told Dennis, “Everyone needs a bike so when they are feeling crummy and oppressed, they can just take off riding to remind themselves what it feels like to be completely free and happy.”
I’m now addicted to the feeling of freedom I get each time I jump on PJ and take off, and to the sore and healthy feeling I have every time I come home from a long ride. At first I was embarrassed to go out in public in daylight, afraid that I would make a fool of myself by falling off, especially since it has been so long since I regularly rode a bicycle. But since Dennis has a bike now too, thanks to you (your generosity is so appreciated!), he has helped me overcome my phobia, and yesterday we took an hour long bike ride along the river to the library, which included time in front of people and traffic.
I’m happy to report I didn’t fall off or embarrass myself, except for when we were going up a steep hill to the bridge to cross the river and I couldn’t make it and had to walk the bike up the last bit. Unfortunately for me, there was a large crowd on the bridge, as the Riverfest is going on this week, but only a few people were staring at my ineptitude, as most were watching the jet ski racers on the river.
We ride our bikes most every day, and I think we’ve only missed riding them for a couple days out of the last two weeks since you gifted them to us. I wanted you to know how much we appreciate the gifts, and that we did buy helmets right away, so you don’t have to worry about us getting injured. We will treasure them until they bite the dust, which hopefully won’t be for many more years, as they have sentimental value coming from you and I hope I never have to replace them.
Looking forward to your next trip to Wichita!
Love,
Veronica
That is adorable! Grandpas are the best.
Fo sho. He has helped our family out a lot over the years, especially health-wise.
Veronica, I am crazy about bike riding. I try to get out almost every day and feel deprived if I don’t. I totally understand what you mean about how good it feels – when I’m on my bike I feel “free as a bird”! What a kind, thoughtful gift! Wish we could ride together!
Wouldn’t that be a blast!! Well, how about we ride together in spirit? I’ll think of you during my next ride. :)
I haven’t ridden a bike in about 3 years, and I miss that feeling you desribe! Maybe one day we’ll get bikes, especially since we live right next to the lakefront bike trail.
You should, esp since you usually have to walk everywhere, you could totally bike instead! We are saving some money on gas by taking our bikes everywhere-it rocks.
Awesome bike! :-)
Thank you, I love it!
CUTE!! I just returned from Amsterdam where people ride bikes everywhere. And they are so freaking thin! My daughter and I made a resolution to get our bikes out and ride more often. Have fun with your new toy.
Thanks, I surely am enjoying it! Hopefully it will help me trim down some too.
What an awesome gift and I loved the letter. I haven’t rode a bike in about 7 years. Where I used to live I rode all the time, now my road is too busy and this time of year the cidiots are here flying down it too :( Enjoy your newfound freedom!
Cidiots-love the fusion word! haha. We’re lucky to have a bike path close by along the river that leads all the way to the library and further if we care to take it. It’s nice b/c we only have to be in traffic for a little bit and then it’s non-stop the rest of the way.
What a gorgeous bike! A definitely awesome present :)
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thank you, I think so too. :)
Oh how fun! i’ve been entertaining the idea of biking. Not sure if my fat butt would fit on one though. Isn’t it fun to be a kid again?? :-)
I think it’s definitely more uncomfortable to have a big butt while riding a bike, but I’m getting used to it. If you get a bike, make sure the seat isn’t one of those tiny ones or you’ll be miserable!
What a wonderful gift, that bike is so cute! My bike is sitting on two flat tires in the garage, this reminds me I need to nudge my hubby to take it in to get the tubes replaced for me.
I got a flat just a week after getting the bike and Dennis replaced the tube with a weird one that has a skinnier nozzle so we had to buy a specific air pump to fit it. But it’s nice to have our own air pump in the garage for the bikes, makes keeping them aired up much easier!
No safety helmet when you ride bikes in the US ? I guess I’ve been in Australia so long that I forgot that. It’s a law that every bike rider wears a helmet here.
My bike is pink. I’m so short that I use a 24″ bike and they usually come in pink. LOL
Yes, we have helmets but most the pics were taken the first day we got the bikes and we didn’t have the helmets yet. Thankfully we didn’t wreck that day-lol. I love pink!! Your bike sounds so cute. :)
this post makes me want to get my bike from my parents’ garage! i haven’t ridden in so long though.
Do it!
LOVE the bike!!!!!!!!
Thanks, I’m pretty fond of it myself. :)
What an awesome gift. I want one just like it. We recently rediscovered our bikes and went on a great ride with the nephews (who helped out by shouting “Bridge Ahoy!” or “Bump Ahoy” to warn us to upcoming dangers!
P.J. is beautiful!
hehe, biking is so much fun, right?! Thanks, Debra. :)
Aww look at your cute grandpa! I seriously love this bike… probably the best I’ve seen. So cute! I bought a bike like 5 years ago thinking I would ride it around my neighborhood as a workout but I don’t think I ever used it. Oops! And is that a bottle opener?! Because that would make it even more amazing.
YES! I was pretty stoked to see that. Though about the only bottles that people need to open nowadays are beer bottles and since I don’t drink, it’s not very practical for me. But it does add to the vintage vibe!
Oh btw I bought died when I read that you named it PJ… that’s my fiancee :) I particularly like the line “I’m now addicted to the feeling of freedom I get each time I jump on PJ and take off”. Yes, my mind is in the gutter!!
Oh mah goodness! lol! That is HILARIOUS!! AHAHAHAHA I think you need to share that with your fiancee–hehe!
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Oh, I love this letter to your grandpa! In this day and age of luxuries like the best cars, clothes, jewelry etc…a simple and beautiful bike trumps it all – you look SO happy! It also brings me back to childhood when my grandfather bought me a pink, banana seat bike with rainbow streamers and flowers on the basket, to use when we spent time at their house :)
Also, so glad you loved the mac n cheese! I made it again with 4 cups of shredded cheddar and even more sriracha…heaven!!
That’s so cool you got a bike from your own Grandpa too. And that does sound like heaven!
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