[SDCBC] Fwd: progress report: oh, my!

[Suzanne Lowrie]

>Date: Sat, 29 Sep 2007 07:57:57 -0700
>To: brian Parent <bparent at calvin.ucsd.edu>
>From: Suzanne Lowrie <slowrie at san.rr.com>
>Subject: progress report: oh, my!
>
>Dear Brian:
>Oh, my! I have progressed. This week I watched the video twice, took my 
>bike to UC Cycle and got a tune up and a back-tire rack (like Tom's) 
>installed. With the tuned-up gears I got out of one-speed cycling and, 
>early this morning, at first light, I zoomed around the UCSD parking lot, 
>up inclines and down inclines, and came to a full stop at stop signs with 
>confidence. On the way home, shirt wet with sweat and thighs trembling, I 
>biked in the Regents Street bike lane and signalled to slow down at the 
>corner of La Jolla Village Drive and Regents. Then I hopped off, unafraid, 
>and walked my bike down the twisty concrete path to my garage door. My 
>handle bars are up 1 and 1/2 inches. I can touch the ground with my 
>tiptoes while seated. I have progressed from falling off a one-speed Thai 
>bike into the bushes of a gate-guarded community (when everyone is asleep) 
>to shifting through 21-speeds, public parking lots and public streets at 7 
>a.m. with a few cars are on the road. What is next? Well, practicing 
>sudden braking and quick right turns. I haven't taken off my tire and 
>changed a tube. Those are tasks for the coming months. Thank you and all 
>the teachers for heading me in the right direction. I will take the course 
>again next year, if you offer it, and we'll note my progress. If it hadn't 
>been for all of you, my bike might have sat in the garage gathering dust. 
>Now, I'm speeding around parking lots, the wind in my hair, the morning 
>light touching my face, and I'm very very happy.
>Thank you for everything,
>Suzanne Lowrie