Wednesday, June 27, 2007
You Never Forget
Back in the day of my childhood summers I loved to ride bikes. I had a purple 10-speed decorated with black splatter paint (because it was the 80's and everything was splatter-painted) and my favorite biking partner was Katie. The highlight of our collective short lives was when Katie received the Fischer-Price headset walkie talkies: now we could communicate while biking about such important things as what teenage boys might be playing basketball down the street, or if one of us should happen to find a suitable new spot to build a fort, or which drugstore perfume we hoped to purchase while biking to Rite Aid. Then Junior High hit and the bikes and headsets were quickly discarded as no longer cool. The next time I considered riding a bike I was fifteen and in the midst of a combined church youth activity which involved an elaborate obstacle course. I was the last leg of my team and my simple task was to circle the church parking lot on a bicycle. Feeling the pressure of my cheering teammates, I attempted to swing one leg over the bike and completely froze. No matter how I tried, I could not coordinate my body to make the thing move. I swayed from side to side and completely toppled over at one point--I had completely forgotten how to ride a bike! The one skill that I had always been told no one ever forgets, I had forgotten. At fifteen, when so much as sneezing in public is considered embarrassing, I was mortified. I swore off bikes forever. Even a few brief spinning classes (where the bike is bolted to the ground!) made me nervous. But, tonight Will felt good enough to get some exercise and suggested we ALL go for a bike ride. The boys were strapped into the bike trailer and I, armed with my brother-in-law Charlie's bike, set off for a relaxed ride down the Irvine greenbelt. Yes, I was shaky at the start, and yes, there was one minor collision into a fence post, but overall I have to say that it was the funnest thing I've done on a weeknight night in awhile. And so worth it to see Ethan & Luke smiling and waving to me. So, to all of you that I've adamantly insisted that I've forgotten how to ride a bike, it has somehow resurfaced from my subconscious. Now if only I had a relay race to redeem myself in . . .
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8 comments:
We can have a Northwoods 6 relay race someday. You will definitely not lose because you will be competing against unathletic me. Do I still know how to ride a bike? I'm not sure...
This post was hilarious by the way. Just a "minor" collision in the fence post?
I'm pretty sure Annie would win Beth--she's the spin instructor after all. That has to somehow translate over to road bike skills.
But you also would not LOSE, cause I would LOSE. You would just be somewhere in the middle-that's not so embarassing. Unless of course one of you were pregnant at the time-then I might have a chance to come in second to last.
Yah, Beth's right. I'd beat you all. I'd whip all around you so fast you wouldn't know what hit you. You'd be sucking in my dust. You'd be crying like little girls. You'd be...ah...never mind. I thought I was in the mood for some trash talk but turns out, it's not that fun and I'm not that good at it.
chad's always in the mood for trash talk.... FYI, the correct term for those headset walkie talkies is "Sonic Rangers." How I miss those Sonic Rangers! When I was 8 months pregnant with Rylee we rented beach cruisers and rode them down the boardwalk at Newport Beach. Even though I was really pregnant and had to pedal so my knees didn't keep hitting my stomach, it was the most relaxing, fun, thing ever. I think the ice cream cone I was holding in my other hand helped. I bet I could come in second.
I love reading the comments when we're all leaving totally random things. It makes me laugh.
Your posts always make me laugh so hard. I have to admit, I hate riding bikes. Your story makes me think that I can do it though. Perhaps the two of us can race. I know you would win!
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