Wow

First ride back on Johnny today. A transformation, instantly. From a practical, geometric side…two impressions. The bike climbs like a banshee. Hills that have been a struggle the past two years were easy. And on singletrack, it's incredibly precise. Visualize in your mind where you want the wheel to be – exactly – and it goes there. The bike just screams ride me, let's keep going. It's a bike designed for adventure. I don't think it's an accident that my favorite years riding corresponded exactly with my ownership of this bike. And I also don't think it's an accident that my waning enthusiasm for the sport paralled moving away from it – to 29ers, and fancier, more expensive bikes. More is not always better.

Then there are the places I've been on this bike.  The Yukon. Alaska. The Kokopelli. Montezumas. And then, countless rides in the neighborhood. We know what each other can do, and know it's a lot. Basically, the limits are the imagination. This bike and I, we talk. We have a good relationship, we know each other. We caught up today…and we were both exuberant. What's new, where shall we go, what shall we explore. This mornings ride was simple, but it was thrilling. I extended it a bit with a longer loop and a bit more climbing. Johnny has that effect.

I switched handlebars from my Moots onto Johnny after my ride today. Tweaking it to get it perfect. Gone are it's days of being my 2nd option, my commuter, my loaner. Beginning today, it's on the starting line-up for adventure. Just like it was always meant to be.