Where Does a Circle End?

Just about all the posts on this blog have been about mountain biking. That is kinda funny since I've always been a "roadie!" It began in the mid-70's when I purchased my first "road bike." It was a Centurion LeMans and I probably rode about thirty miles that first day. Riding from Huntington Beach to Seal Beach and back I felt the wind in my face and the exhilaration of sprinting along Pacific Coast Highway. Upon being transferred to the service center in Huntington Beach, I became a bicycle commuter as I rode from our home each day. The Levis, boots, and long sleeved shirt was a far cry from the cycling attire most of us wear today!
After moving to Yorba Linda, my trusty Centurion was posted to hook in the garage and there stayed until the late 80's. There was a new bike shop up the hill that had repaired my Centurion on a couple of occasions. Riding with my neighbor, Dennis, typically resulted in some mechanical breakdown thus the trips to the shop.
One Saturday, I went down to the Orange County Fairgrounds for a "bike fair" and found my dream machine. A beautiful Raleigh with what I called "click shift." Up to now, all the bikes had what was called friction shifting where you had to move the lever and wait for the gears to change. The click shift was just that, click it and shift it. Nice.
Shortly after that visit, Pete at the local bike shop (LBS) hooked me up with a beautiful Raleigh road bike. Before long Dennis and I were flying down to Huntington Beach and back on Saturday mornings. We'd stop for a break near the pier and Denny would have a cup of Joe and I'd grab a Coke. Ah, the good life. We kept riding together and then in March of 1989, along with Elizabeth and Susan, ventured to Solvang for our first century ride. It was a cool and damp morning as we left the hotel for this 100-mile bike ride. Overall, the ride was uneventful but it set in motion a desire to do more of these organized events. Over the years, Denny and I completed ten or so of these together. What great fun!
So, I'm on this training ride one day on my Raleigh when it starts acting funny. I've had broken spokes before and thought that was the problem. An inspection of the rear wheel showed all was well. I lifted the bike and spun the wheel and it was perfect! Getting back on and heading out the wobble got even worse. This time I checked everything and to my surprise found that the lower tube in the real triangle had cracked and separated. Bummer!
After a call to the bike shop, I was rescued and told that the frame had a lifetime warranty and they'd get me a new one. A couple of days later they advised that this frame was no longer in production so they'd ordered me a new one. It was going to cost $85 for the new frame ... the new $950 frame! Wow! The new Raleigh Team frame was outfitted with a full Sachs drive train. At that time, Sachs was making a road group named "New Success" and it was made by Campy. In fact, it was identical to the Campy Chorus. Once built, this white beauty became my steed for many great rides. It is still in the family and I use it frequently for indoor training.
In 2004 we'd been living in Folsom for a few years and I had become well acquainted with the LBS-Bicycles Plus in old town. Near the end of the year, I opted to purchase a Specialized Roubaix Pro. This is a full carbon fiber bike with a Shimano Dura-Ace drive train. It is light and just right for many years of riding on the American River Parkway and wherever else I might venture. The Roubaix and I have completed a number of metric centuries (62-miles) and numerous trips up and down the bike trail. Every time I ride my bicycle I am uplifted by the beauty of our world. The time on the bike also provides opportunities for reflection, contemplation, and thoughtful prayer. Yes, riding my bike is a fun and healthy thing to do. It is also a very peaceful and spiritual experience as well!
To answer the question posed in my title ... the circle keeps going forever you just have to get on the bike and turn the crank!