I Dreamed about Bicycles...

I dreamed about bicycles last night. I suppose that's no big surprise given that yesterday was the start of another round of 30 Days of Biking and I attended a Giant for Women bike maintenance workshop last night. Still, it was kind of odd to wake up and realize that I dreamed about the new road bikes for 2011 instead of, say, something scary or family related or something scary and family related. But I dreamed about bikes and fixing flat tires and about riding with my kids - and that's a pretty good dream and a fine way to start the day.

As I mentioned, 30 Days of Biking started yesterday. Some of you may remember that I committed to ride my bike every day last April and that this 30 Days of Biking thing was started by two guys who decided to challenge people to ride their bikes Every. Friggin. Day. for 30 Days. Well, the challenge really took off and about 500 people from all over the world took part. I had a blast doing the challenge and met a lot of cool people along the way. Other riders had as much fun as I did so the guys who started it all, Patrick and Zachariah, decided to launch 30 Days of Biking Part 2 for the month of September.

Rose and I after our first ride for 30 Days of Biking

Excited to do it again I signed up right away but guess what? Owen signed up and so did Rose and Ryan - our whole family will be doing 30 Days of Biking! I know I can do it, having ridden every day in April. I'm pretty sure Owen will manage to get out on his bike every day but I'm honestly am not sure if Rose and Ryan (they are only 11 and 8 years old, respectively) will actually ride their bikes every day. I mean, I still have to remind Ryan to change his underwear and riding every day is a big commitment. Will the Mibus Family really ride our bikes every day? I guess we will find out.

My favorite bike shop, Valley Bike and Ski, is having a Giant for Women event. It started yesterday with a maintenance workshop. Today women can go in and check out the 2011 line up of Giant Bikes for Women and/or go on a casual group ride.

I attended the maintenance workshop last night and am really glad I went. The workshop was taught by a woman named Jackie and was attended by about 15 women. Jackie reviewed with us the parts of a bike, showed us how to "pre-flight" our bikes (okay, my aviation language is coming through - she called it a pre-ride check or something but I think of it as a pre-flight), how to change a flat and more. She was knowledgeable, a good instructor and fun. I came out of the evening excited to see so many other women bicyclists and full of information I didn't know before. For instance, I didn't know most of the parts of my bike. Yes, I knew what a top tube was, the fork, the saddle, but now I know about cassettes, bottom brackets and more. Now if my bike is making a funny noise I won't have to go in the shop and say my bike's thingy-a-bob is making a funny noise or the gizmo is creaking.

Well, today is a day filled with school activities for the kids. Rose was on the school bus at 7 a.m. and is now at an orientation for middle school. Yep, she's starting 6th grade and she's so excited. She started soccer practice this week as well, she's never played but is doing very well and having a lot of fun. Later tonight we all head to town for Ryan's open house where we get to meet his 3rd grade teacher and drop off his school supplies.

It will be a full day. But somewhere along the way we'll fit in a quick bike ride for Day 2 of our 30 Days of Biking! And maybe, just maybe, I'll sneak down to Valley and check out some of the new 2011 bikes for women. ;)

I can dream, can't I? The 2011 Giant Avail Advance 2.

Composite frame. A couple of steps up from the bike I have now.