This seemed like a nice place for a brief rest on a bike ride in Southern Oregon.
You don’t need a fancy or expensive bike to experience the best of riding a bicycle. If it’s in reasonable shape, an old bike will do.
We just just came back from Southern Oregon. In the back of the truck was one of my old bikes that I had refurbished there.
I bought this bike in 1990 for a week-long tour that looped around Mt. Hood. On that tour, the boys and I joined a group of adults and kids from the Mid-Valley Bicycle Club. (I think it was still the Wheelmen then, before the name was changed.)
This bike is a “Rock Hopper” sold under the Specialized brand. Parts of it have been replaced over the years. It’s the sort of bike that, with a little care, lasts your whole life.
Now all the components have been thoroughly cleaned, and the steel frame is free from rust and sports a new black powdercoat.
It’s the perfect kind of bike for a leisurely ride around town. Or through the Oregon countryside, where I recorded this:
OK, break’s over. Back to work. But with a new old bike. (hh)
I lived in the Medford area back in the the mid 1980’s and enjoyed bike riding around the Medford/Jacksonville area. Old Stage Road, no guessing where it got its name, and other rural two lanes were popular routes on weekend mornings and late afternoons/evenings after work for me and my riding buddies from Harry & David. Traffic was lighter and generally considerate of bicyclists and the old Jackson County courthouse in Jacksonville was a good halfway resting place. Jacksonville was a quaint place and the downtown was great, lots of old buildings and quainter people. The courthouse was also a good place to take in music on summer weekend afternoons, relaxing on the lawn. I pedaled a skinny tire, rigid frame, touring bicycle, likely a Peugeot or a Bianchi, as they were a lot lighter and more sporty than the American made bike, i.e. Schwinn, of the day. A hard leather saddle, no padding, probably a Brooks if you could afford it, a knock off brand if you couldn’t. Ahh nostalgia!
Enjoy the new, old bike.
I love the early Rock Hopper’s. Double Butted CrMo frame and upgraded to 9 speeds. Hauled a lot of groceries with mine.