Tonight I made my inaugugal ride on my new Jamis Aurora touring bike, purchased last night from the fine people as Harris Cyclery in West Newton, and the experience was truly transcendent. After an hour and half of pure pleasure riding west of Boston, I met friends at Cabot’s restaurant in Newtonville for a burger and a peach frappe.

This won’t end my relationship with the Creststone mountain bike I purchased 8 years ago this summer in Colorado; I’ll still be doing much of my commuting on it, especially during the nasty winter months. But what will change is the distance I’ll be able to travel with my the touring bike, and if my first ride is any indication, I should be able to explore a good deal of the greater Boston area in the near future.