Back in the Saddle (Almost): Rediscovering Joy and Freedom on Two Wheels

During my childhood, it was a regular sight to see me in my riding boots, coasting down the street with my horse’s saddle balanced on the handlebars of my bike. I split free time in the winter between riding my horse and sledding or skating. In the summer it was riding my horse and swimming at the beach. It was a nice way for a kid to grow up. As my main source of transportation, my bicycle was an intrinsic part of my free time activities.

It’s been a hot minute…

I hadn’t ridden my bicycle much since my adult children were kids. I wanted to, but wasn’t in a place conducive to cycling — physically, or — physically. Until recently when my daughter arranged for us to meet at a park where they rented electric bikes. One daughter rode her own impressive e-bike. My other daughter herded her four-year-old on a tiny two-wheeler with training wheels.

The park we went to had a path around a beautiful lake. I turned my rental e-bike away from the sloped boat ramp (Yup, that horror scenario had already played in my head) and with much trepidation got on the bike.

And immediately drove into the curb. 😳

Steering while balancing became my obvious challenge, but after several trips around the parking lot, I was passable to try a short ride.

E-bikes are different

The e-bike I rode did not have a throttle. Any action came from peddling, but once you peddled, you felt a surge of over where the e-bike took over for about 20-230 feet and then ceased helping. The first few times I felt it, I nearly panicked because the e-bike definitely liked going faster than I did. I gripped those brakes pretty hard and put them to use.

The first part of our ride was on level pavement with a few curves alongside the lake, a great encouragement for getting my steering under control, btw!! When I went up a long hill, I was grateful for the e-bike’s help and could see the value of having one for long rides.

I felt pretty good when I reached the top but lost my confidence when I stopped and had to maneuver the bike to return. Steering and circling around are obviously unrelated. 😂

I got into position to return downhill and started out; riding the brakes and taking deep breaths as I steered around bends, but I was doing it.

Until I saw someone hiking down the trail. Instead of panicking, (okay I almost panicked) I yelled out, “Unstable driver! It’s either you or the lake!” He laughed and stepped aside. He reached the bottom while we were returning the e-bike and had questions — for my daughter with her power bike. (At least he was friendly, right?)

Was it a good thing?

I’m so happy I went riding. I loved it. Doing something from my youth that I’d wanted to for so long gave me an immense sense of freedom and renewal.

I got my old bike out of storage. It’s the same one I rode with my kids. The one Rick and I bought during a summer trip to Vail. I’d kept it indoors and had put new tires on it a few years ago, so it was still in good shape. We met my daughter at a park and she and her friend tested out the bike for safety.

Soon I had a helmet, air in the tires, a can of WD-40, and a cable to lock my bike. I had no intention of riding my bike anywhere near traffic, not with the way I steered, so I researched where I could ride my bike in Missouri. In Missouri (unless you want to risk steering into traffic on the road) you can only ride a bike on the Missouri Trails system. Fortunately the perimeter path around my favorite park qualified so e locked my bike in the bed of our truck and met up with my non-e-bike daughter and her 4-year-old to ride. This daughter had a new (normal) bike on a bike rack.

Once again I was nervous and a bit wobbly, but by the end of that ride I felt more confident. And I ended up with black stuff all over my face because my 30+ year old handle grips ‘gave off’ when my hands sweated.

For my next ride I went to my daughter’s house where we rode around her block several times. There was no traffic, and the terrain was more rolling so I got to use a little muscle. This time I used a pair of riding gloves, and I ended up with a bike rack on the back of the truck. And a way to carry my phone while I ride. Oh, and a fan.

My rides aren’t long. Actually they take only minutes. I’m at war with cancer and after sitting around for two years I’m not very strong, but with the help of my two daughters and my husband, I’m doing this and it makes me happy. I feel like I’m doing something positive for myself.

Now I’ve discovered I can ride a small area where I live so I’ve started a schedule. I have a goal of wanting to ride part of the Katy Trail with my family. The Katy Trail is area reclaimed from the railroad tracks and made into a hiking, biking, horseback riding trail. In my area it covers 47.5 miles. Kristi in Where the Wild Ones Roam rides her mustang Toad on the rail trail. And Michael in Last Wish teaches Jaime to ride his bike on one in town.

Goals

It will be months before I’m in shape enough to ride any distance but aside from wanting to ride with my family, riding my bike will put me back in shape to ride a horse again which is one of my biggest goals. It’s a plan.

Dressage riders have a group called The Century Club where the rider’s age combined with their horse equals 100 years …just saying.

So what is it you used to do that you would love to do again?

Thanks for reading this blog post,

Barbara

P.S. Another benefit to my new/old activity? It’s a great conversation starter when people see the bike attached to the back of my truck!