Let's go ride a bike....

Justin has a bike and it made me think of biking myself.  It's funny, I haven't rode a bike in many, many years.  I used to like it and have tried it previously, but it hurts my knees...A lot.  Perhaps it's simply that I don't do it enough and it's a new strain.  That makes sense.  But I'm not sure if that's fully it because my knees are sort of fucked up anyway.  Sometimes they will hurt for weeks at a time.  They hurt to bend or fully straighten.  I think it's due to the arthritis that is so rampant in my family. 
(Some families pass heirlooms, mine passes arthritis....don't judge!)
But either way, being that I live out in Charlton now, and there are numerous places to ride a bike, I started looking for one.  I obviously was looking for a used bike as I'm not exactly sure that this idea will work out.  It may really hurt my knees too much.  Or it may bore me.  Whatever, you know how new "exercise" routines go.  It happens to everybody. The idea sounds great, but acting on the idea isn't always as easy.
I had looked at Craigslist and found a few options.  I wasn't really sure what I was looking for, and some of the sizing confused me.  I only knew that I wanted a very affordable bike to TRY my hobby with.  My goal was not to get the greatest or best because for all I know it could become a lawn ornament.    Oh yes, and it needed to be a mountain bike.  The dirt roads surrounding my house are a good place to start, and there is a trail through the woods starting in my backyard, so a mountain bike would be best.  Justin was telling me I should make sure it had shocks, and blah blah blah.  I wasn't too concerned.
Either way, I decided to post it on facebook, in case anybody had anything kicking around they weren't using and were looking to sell in my (very low) price range.  I was quite excited when my friend Brian, who owns the ever delicious BT's Smokehouse, said he had one that I could HAVE for FREE.  We discussed it, and although it's not a 'girls' bike, he said it would fit me.  The only issue he noted was that it needed a "sprocket."  Obviously, I didn't know what that was, but the next day I went to his house and picked up my new (to me) bike.  I wasn't really expecting much as it was free and all.  But it's quite nice and I was impressed.  I think Justin is jealous because he thinks it's cooler than his, which it is!  And as for it being a 'boys' bike....I've never quite understood the difference, except that little bar that usually slopes low on a girl bike and straight on a boys bike.  On this bike, it is at a slight slope?  Maybe that means unisex, bisexual?  Who knows.  Either way, it fits me nicely and I like it.  We found out about the part it needed, and I was very pleased to find that it was only $20, installed!  So now I have my new (to me) bike, all fixed up and working.  I took it up and down the dirt roads and down the trail a few times and it went well.  I enjoyed it and although it hurt my knees a bit, it wasn't bad.  I'm excited and actually looking forward to going on bike rides.  I want to start slow.  Maybe around the neighborhood on these little side roads or down the trails.  AFter that, I will move up to a bike path of some sort.  I like those "rail trails" that are everywhere now.  The idea of riding it on the actual roads scares me.  First because I'm not incredibly comfortable with it yet, and second because these roads are all so damn narrow and windy.  Around here, you always see people walking, biking, or running on the roads.  It freaks me out while I"m driving because when you come around a corner, and someone is there, you really better hope nobody is coming the other way.  There's not enough room for all of that traffic on these narrow roads!
So here's to me re-learning to ride a bike.  And hopefully enjoying it! 
And a special thank you to Brian for giving me a cool bike, out of the kindness of his heart.  And for feeding me the kinds of meat that ensure I need to exercise to get the damn fat to go away!  If you are ever in the Sturbridge area, I'd highly recommend you go to BT's and try it.  But call me first, I want to go too!!!!