Traction or Traction?

With the warmer weather now landing here I have found myself looking at my old nemesis and planning this season's attack. We have been at odds for years and so far I think it is winning. Sadly this is not some person who borrows my tools without returning them or even some random soul who has crossed me. It is my mountain bike.

I have always enjoyed cycling even from a young age but it never seems to go all that well. It all began when I was 8 years old. My mother was working in real estate and paying some company heavy cash to deliver flyers for her. She realized she could save a bundle if my brother and I did the deliveries and we were quick to agree since this was an easy form of income. We had soon saved enough for new bikes and pestered my Mom until she drove us to the store to get them. We assembled them and jumped on to go for a ride but since it was 9:30 at night she made us wait. Given how things turned out, it was probably for the better.

The next day we decided to take them out for a spin and were having a grand time. We ripped past jealous friends who desperately wanted BMX bikes of their own. We went blasting through the ravine and jumping curbs and anything else we could clear. After a long day's ride we were on our way home and my brother and I were taking it easy. While we were chatting away he turned his head to look at me because I hadn't answered his last question, only to find I was missing. Turns out when I had turned my head to answer him I had somehow managed to find the back of a very large camper van. He found me in a tangled heap behind the van. Apparently I didn't know if it was Tuesday or Tibet.

This pattern would repeat itself over my life with three different bikes and a healthy collection of scars and likely a bit of brain damage despite the helmets (the blog suddenly makes sense eh?). So here I stand watching the sung gleam of the spokes in a way that makes my blood run cold. I'm going to try it one last time and if it tries any funny business I'm going to make some modifications with a hacksaw and large plastic bag in hand.

Wish me luck!