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Written by M. Longhofer
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Tuesday, 02 September 2008 |
Last Days of Summer
 Well, here it is the day after Labor Day and the official end to summer. When I first moved to Maine in '94, someone (I thought) jokingly told me how Maine had 3 seasons - winter, July, and August. Well, that was not far from the truth! The might be what is known as "mud season" in April/May thanks to the snow thaw. This year we even sort of bypassed July and the beginning of August thanks to a ridiculous amount of rain until finally the last 2 weeks have been summer again. This Labor Day weekend , considered the last hoorah of summer here in Maine as all the tourists leave and things get back down to business as usual (school is back in session) and the leaves are already seen changing color, was text book glorious. It was sunny and warm all day each day with cool ocean breezes and no humidity. Talk about the makings for some great riding.
 Since I'm still semi-lame and dealing with an orthopaedic issue, I haven't been racing this year again. I have really enjoyed riding all the same when I have been able to get out. This past w/e I did the variety three-pack of riding. Road ride on a gorgeous Saturday, cruiser ride around Portland on a gorgeous Sunday, and on Labor Day hit the holy trail at Bradbury Mountain State Park on the most amazing weather day I can recall yet this year.
 Sunday was noteworthy in that I took my antique Schwinn cruiser (see photos) out for an hour and 1/2 ride around the great city of Portland. One area of the Portland harbor flows into a bay known here as "Back Bay" and is surrounded by a boulevard with a gravel running/biking trail. It is about 3 1/2 miles long and is always busy with walkers, dogs, bikes, joggers, and yesterday the occasionally seen kite boarder that was entertaining the land folks from the water. The Bay Back Boulevard trail also connects to the paved Eastern Prom trail that follows the ocean (see photos) down into the commercial and harbor area of Portland. That was my ride Sunday - around the Blvd., the Eastern Prom trail, up through town, through the Eastern Prom, then back home via Back Bay. It was great to see so many people out enjoying the amazing day and it was another reminder regarding how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful place. It was also the first time I have ridden any distance on my Schwinn cruiser that I picked up for a song at the annual Portland Bike Swap that is held here every spring. Riding the cruiser is probably as close to feeling like a kid again as possible - single speed, coaster brake, red glitter handle bar grips, all the original stuff (I think even including the chain - it's seen some time!). The only thing that would make it feel like more of the ride that I remember so well as my first bike, would be a banana seat. But not for this rig - maybe best saved for yet another antique purchase. So, as much as I love my fleet of Salsas that I am so grateful to own thanks to our team Salsa sponsorship and the hard work by team manager, Big Al, it is nice to get back to my Schwinn roots of where it all began for me, and I'm sure, where it began for many of us.
 So I will leave you all with that nostalgic thought...the carefree time of being a kid, riding bikes, and smiles. Thank goodness as adults we can still get out on two wheels and get as close to being a kid again as possible. I don't know about you all, but nothing does it for me like riding my bike does. In fact, I'm smilin' right now just thinkin' about it...
Ride on and ride safe,
Mary
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