Last spring, just as I was really beginning to grasp the reality that I loved being active, I bought a bicycle. I rode a little in my driveway, took it to my sister's neighborhood and rode one day, and yeah, well, that was about it.
I seriously wanted to do more, but because I would surely become road kill if I tried riding it on my road, I just parked it in the garage. Of course after the knee ordeal, I had no idea when I'd feel confident enough to mount the purple machine again.
But yesterday was the day. I have been taking a spin class for months now, and even though I am back in physical therapy and having a really tough time with my knee, I just felt it was time to take it to the outdoors.
So, we did.
Don't worry, we left my nephew ( on the 4-wheeler ), and my niece ( with training wheels ) to go on with their parents for horseback riding, while Greg, Ethan, Kelci, Emma, and myself went on our 3 mile, 2 1/2 hr bike push. You heard me, push, not ride.
So, I hadn't exactly envisioned us pushing our bikes uphill through mud and horse poop in the hot sun, but that is pretty much what we did.
BUT we had a blast.
My Emma, who is just 6 yrs old, did do her share of asking when we would be done, but she wasn't nearly as dramatic as I would have been had my parents tried to make me do a professional mountain biking course on a Hello Kitty 16" 2-wheeler!
Halfway through, Ethan declared he was having fun. Which for my rarely content 8 yr old, that was enough to make my heart leap with joy.
Kelci, my oldest niece, was a real trooper. She would ride her bike ahead, only to park it to come back and help push Emma's through the indescribably yucky muck.
Greg, who just got his bike yesterday morning @ 9, when this ride begin @ 11, carried a very heavy backpack the entire time that he was riding his bike, pushing Emma's bike, or pushing his bike and Emma's bike.
We smiled more than anyone complained, we laughed, we talked, and we got more exercise in those 3 hours than I believe Greg has had in the past 8 years!
I'm so dreading having our cable turned back on...
sounds like fun, jamie! all of it...except the poop. if you guys keep it up, you'll have to let me know what the rules of the road are. i'm a little confused about biking etiquette and find myself truly annoyed when there are cyclists on my road and i have to drive 10 miles an hour behind them. one seemed to be really mad at me the other day when i wouldn't pass, but the curve was blind and i couldn't tell if it was safe. eventually i passed them all, but not before both parties were sufficiently irritated with each other.
ReplyDeleteWow, that sounds like so much fun, Jamie!
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