On yer bike....

I like that. Quick and gets the point across. At least here, it is a way to tell someone to take a hike, go away, take a long walk off a....you get it. Just a little quip to introduce my new hobby. Cycling. Well...I hope to develop it into a serious way to stay fit anyway. Now....I have not really even owned a bicycle since childhood...that I can recall anyway. So...after much coersion from my husband, I decided now was the time. Why not? Aside from fear of broken limbs and a serious lack of coordination...I fancied the idea.

I even now have the bike lock, waterproof gear, lights and gel "saddle" as they are called here. If they are an improvement, how did I ever tolerate the other types?? Ah yes...youth and a much smaller rear section would probably be the reason most obvious.

Matt has cycled for a few years off and on and has recently taking to using it as a mode of transpo to work daily to save money on "petrol". He's far more dedicated than I. Needless to say on our first trial run, he is in much better shape as well. Plus, he's a smoker....grrr. I have really let myself go. Near our home there are canals that can take you to most parts of town. Some areas are paved, some grass, some just plain muck. Remember the bikes of yesteryear? I do! I wouldn't have dreamed of attempting an extremely muddy trail...faceplant would be inevitable. Not the bikes of today...at least not mine! I can blaze through damn near anything....I may live to regret just saying that.... anywho....the canals are the way. A small slice of peace in an overpopulated city....birds, trees, railroad tressels, litter infested canal water (can't have it all...)

Our first day was entirely trail riding and me realizing that I: 1) Still can keep a bike standing while I peddle it...hey, I did wonder.. and 2) MAN, I am really out of shape. I saw my youth and days of effortless workouts flash before my eyes as I whined and cussed the entire ride back home. Matt will attest to that....that is when he was close enough to earshot and not meters ahead of me.....grrr.

That evening, thought maybe I had fallen off of the bike and hit pavement or turf several times without recollection for the pain I was feeling. Or perhaps I actually thought I was still 16 while leaving the bikeshop in my giddy glory with my new found toy. Sure Jule....

What was a pleasant surprise is that the following morning the feeling had passed, I no longer felt that I had been mercilessly beaten. That was encouraging. Albeit, not enough so to make me hop on the bike at 6am Monday morning to pedal to work. haha PLEASE! *sigh* I'll get there.

I found myself making excuses daily....."it's far too windy or rainy", "my trick knee is playing up", " i think I have to vomit"....well...maybe not that desperate. I figured I would just walk home to make up for my sins. Drat....that takes me an hour on a good day...1 & 1/2 on a bad one. I surely can't keep that up for lack of patience, especially in the rain. As my friend Tracy says: "If you wait for the wind or rain to stop, or otherwise have decent weather to bike....haha...you won't use it much..." haha....hush up Tracy....even if you are right!

So...I got my duds on today, being a Saturday and relatively nice day (for England) and did a canal pedal. It was only a couple of miles....but I did it and conquered the somewhat meager hills without quitting, without whining. I even had to tell Matt when I got home. "Ah..oh..that's nice love.." Back to his puttering.... Yet, I felt good and positive, thinking about future trips to the countryside the two of us cycling for miles, battling the elements in our spandex and raingear. Yes....the thought passed. Oh well...it's a start. Plus, I wouldn't subject the masses to me in spandex....I'll just leave it at that...