Taking my clue from PENolan, I decided that I'd mark turning 50 with a year-long celebration. I had the idea that each month I'd do something I'd never done before. In April my planned new activity was rained out, but since I'd never had a surprise birthday party before (thanks, Mom), I'll count that as my April "thing."May brought the Magical Midlife Mystery Tour. In June I was stuck for ideas until I decided I'd write a sonnet (I know, I know....and it's still not finished). Come July I was so busy with my job that I didn't have the time or energy to consider tackling any new activities (but I did stay sober at the Institute's farewell dinner, which was a first).
Yesterday I did my August "thing," and biked the upper half of the Virginia Creeper Trail with intellikid. What fun! Even though it had been well over 30 years since I'd spent more than, say, 30 minutes on a bicycle, I managed this 17 mile ride with minimal discomfort. Ok, so it was mostly a downhill coast, but I found that it does take considerable effort to remain upright and balanced on 2 wheels for that distance!
It seems that riding a bike is just like riding a bike. I found that stopping a bike, however, does require some practice. Or at least the ability to remember that one is on a bike when one wishes to stop.
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Seventeen miles is pretty major, if you ask me, no matter which way the hill is tilting. Three Cheers for your sense of balance - both internal and external.
ReplyDeleteHuzzah!
Ditto Tricia, 17 miles is a long way on a bike. Anxiously awaiting the sonnet.
ReplyDeleteI am impressed. I know that area, and it is not leg muscles friendly. Keep it up.
ReplyDeleteBTW-Was the gratuitous butt shot necessary? I'm not complaining, mind you.
I don't have a problem with gratuitous butt shots, either.
ReplyDeletePerhaps a sonnet extolling the virtues (or non-virtues--watch as I back pedal here...) of cycling after a 30 year "break".
My first ride after 30 years only took a few miles to discover muscles in a place I didn't realize that I had such a place.
Thanks, Tricia - The distance did seem daunting for YEARS; that's why it took me so long to finally do this!
ReplyDeleteMr. C, I will let you know as soon as the sonnet's ready for public consumption.
Jaded, this particular trail requires minimal muscular effort. My knees, however, required a bit of TLC once I got home.
And of course the GBS was necessary.
Doug, I promise that my sonnet is not about anything virtuous ;-) And here's to discovering other long-forgotten places...
Excellent achievement on the bike ride, and that is a great idea for a way to recognize 50 years. Can't wait to here more for the next adventure this plan brings.
ReplyDeleteImbic pentameter for a fiftieth. I say just get it done by november and your ok.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago, Fin and I biked down a volcano on Maui, 28 miles of downhill. I found it exhausting and very stressful to try to maintain a consistent distance between myself and the person in front of me. Riding down a hill is sometimes harder than you think. :)
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