Why walk when you can bike?
I am a biker. I L O V E to bike. As in I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE it. I love the speed. I love the wind in my face. I love to bend with my bike as I rip around a corner. I love to greet the trees as they whip past me. I love to ride until I can't ride anymore, whereby I stop, take out my water bottle and take in much needed gulps of cool water, and depending on the weather, splashing it on my body. Today was NOT one of those days that such a choice would feel good. Today was a day where I had on a heavy coat, long pants and gloves. Today was a day where riding fast didn't feel as good as it does in the warmer months for it had been about a week that I last rode this hard and given it was 80 during my last tide and today was about 30 degrees cooler, coupled with the lag time, my thighs screeeeeeeeamed at me "WHAT THE HE!! ARE YOU. DOING. TO. US?!"
I half laughed; half cried. Each year after a pause in riding over the cold, rainy misery ends, the days lengthening, the suns warmth having returned, I jump back on and hit the trails, and like each year before, I have to work my legs back into condition. That's after 3-4 months of no biking activity. Today was only 6 days and my legs were behaving as though it had been months since they had seen such work.
NO FAIR, I thought. This getting older stuff. I do walk in the colder months, even do a bit of hiking on some of the trails, but it isn't the same. In fact, walking, for someone like me, is quite boring. Yes, I can take in the scenery, but unless a story comes to mind to occupy my thoughts of boredom, I am just not one to go for a walk and truly enjoy the experience the way I do biking. I've tried jogging, but I couldn't push past the part of screaming knees, wobbly ankles and my stomach threatening to unload its contents. So, I am often left with doing what we do as children: Pretend. I pretend I'm on my bike as I walk. I walk fast, do a fake impression of some jogging, closing my eyes and assuming the biker position. I can get away with this when I'm alone, but if my teenager has decided to tag along, unless I am up to dealing with words like "OH MY GOD MOM STOP IT!", which when I am out exercising and getting some escape from my daily routine, I'm just not up for the drama, so I stick to walking.
I am so obsessed with this sport and miss it so much during the winter that I will visit my girl (bike), parked in the cold garage, telling her I miss her, that "winter's almost over" and "soon we will ride as one again." Then I take off on another walk.
Boring old walking.
Fantasizing for the warmer days to come where I can hop on my old friend, tell her hello after a long winter's absence, whiz on down the road and up to the trail, giving my command performance to nature as I greet her hello, relishing on how good it is to see her again from the vantage point of a bike.
💖
Victoria