A new bicycle

This is the fourth bicycle I have had.  My first was a Raleigh.  It was a black 3-speed.  I was 9 or 10.  I had it for many years and have no idea what happened to it.
Next I got a 10 speed Gitane.  It was red and beautiful and French.  I took French in high school and loved anything French at the time.  It got left behind when I married in 1970 and retrieved in 1976 when the marriage broke up.   Breaking Away was my favorite movie and I biked everywhere because I didn't own a car.
My third bicycle was purchased in my 30's.  It was a Ross and again it was black.  It was a 12 speed and I was again on the cutting edge of cool because it was a mountain bike when everyone else still had those skinny tires.
So I had two bicycles then.  The cool Ross and the sexy Gitane.
This last fall I took the Ross to Minneapolis and my brother had a friend fix it up, but my body is not right for that style of bike anymore.  I haven't really ridden bikes since the late 1980's.  I bought a car when I turned 40 and the bikes were lonely and now my body doesn't like all it's weight on the wrists.

So my brother gave the gallant Ross away to a man who refurbishes bikes for low income kids and I have looked for a new bike ever since.

Bikes today are way different than I remember.  My main problem is the pedals.  If you want to coast down a hill the pedals keep turning.  It would be impossible to stand up because you always have to pedal.  And if you stop and the pedals are in the wrong position for a good start you can't kick them backwards to fix them.  JeezOPete!  I was not happy.  I wondered if I was too old for a bike now.

Then I came back home to North Dakota and wandered in the the Hardware Hank to get some birdseed and I saw her.  They let me ride her around the store.  Heh.  Now I have my fourth bike.  I have not named her yet but she is hot pink and black and white.  I am not longer cool because she is a HUFFY.  Now as a younger cooler biker I scorned the Huffy riders out there.  No longer though.   This is the perfect bike for a woman of a certain age. And I am certainly that age.  I sit up straight which is good for my back and my weight is on my biggest asset.  The handles are up in front of me and the seat is wide and comfy.  I am a Huffy convert.
Today I bought her a lovely shiny chrome bell to warn the deer that I am coming down the road.   Wave if you see me!

If you have a name suggestion let me know.  Right now I am thinking she is Betty, but I am not sure that name is pink enough.

Nancy

PS,  Guess what I just discovered?
 "In 1882 George P. Huffman, owner of the Davis Sewing Machine Company, oversaw the production of the first Davis Sewing Machine bicycle, manufactured in Dayton, Ohio."   No wonder this is the perfect bike for me.  hahahahahahahaha  More info in the Huffy link above.