My Life on a Bike--Day Two

Okay, so I did ride again this week. After last week's challenging and frustrating bike ride up and down crazy hills I got scared. I thought I might never ride a bike again if I didn't find a positive experience. So I knew I had to jump into the most pleasant ride I could find, and decided that could be found on the Silver Comet Trail.

I knew it wouldn't fly well with some folks, my going alone, so I didn't tell anybody. Except my Dad who lives in another state. And I did write the name of the Bike Rental Shop I intended to use on a notepad in my mom's kitchen, so that if I never returned home she would know where to tell police to look.

So you either know about it or you don't. A woman was murdered on the Silver Comet Trail several years ago. And there was that mugging a couple months ago. So I had to weigh that against my intense desire to have a gorgeous bike ride on a long flat paved trail that could possibly turn me onto the love of cycling forever. I thought about it. Fear vs. Logic. And Logic won.

I reasoned that hundreds (thousands?) of folks have been walking, running, biking, and rollerblading on the Silver Comet Trail 365 days a year since that murder. Logically, it is more likely that I would be killed in a car accident than attacked on the Silver Comet Trail. True, it messes with your head. And I'd determined to be smart about it, wearing a whistle around my neck and making sure there were others on the path where I was riding, coming and going in both directions.

My final decision to go came from advice from an unusual source. As I was debating, I glanced over at the Parade Magazine laying on the counter. A picture of Kevin Costner and a quote, "Don't let fear hold you back." I laughed. Wisdom from Kevin Costner, who'd have thought? And I had to agree. I don't want to live my life based on fear. Who said "if I perish, i perish"? The fiery furnace guys? Oh, no it was Esther. Yes, Queen Esther. Of course she was risking her life to save Israel, but still.

Well I have to say that it was the best bike ride of my life. On flat, paved trails I was able to bike 20 miles without a problem. Which honestly shocked me because I could barely go one mile in Ken's neighborhood. The trail was gorgeous. Peaceful. Pleasant. Energizing. And really not at all scary. There were plenty of others on the trail.

One thing that surprised me was that it was harder than I thought it would be to get into the meditative frame of mind that I was searching for. I've wondered about those guys on the Blood:Water Mission cross-country ride that just ended. Were they able to meditate during their 80+ mile a day rides? I think I was surprised, that even on the easy breezy Silver Comet Trail, my mind was consumed by the energy it took to ride the bike. Is this because I'm inexperienced and out of shape, or is that just reality? I was able to pray some, but not nearly as much as I'd hoped.

Still, about 20 minutes into the ride I was certain that I wanted to do this every day for the rest of my life. I glanced out at neighborhoods I passed along the trail wondering if they had any rentals available. How amazing would it be to walk out your front door and be able to ride a bike for as long as you wanted in a setting like that?

The aftermath of the two hour bike ride was completely another matter. I felt great during the entire ride. As soon as I got off the bike and into my car, I crashed big time. I stopped at a convenience store for Gatorade and Power Bars. I could not wait until I got home to eat something. I hadn't even thought to bring any food because I knew I'd only be out for two hours. I had plenty of water (and there are plenty of places to stop for water along the trail) and it just didn't even cross my mind that food would be important.

Are y'all laughing at me? If you are then I know you're a real cyclist, someone who would say "of Course you have to eat, you idiot." I'm telling you. It didn't occur to me.

I was never sore, but it took me two full days to regain my normal energy level. Two days! And it was an easy ride. Really.

I have a lot to learn. But I'm getting there. I wore my first ever bicycle helmet that day. I now own bike shorts for the first time in my life.

A long way to go, but a step closer. I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, please take up my cause of improving the PR of the Silver Comet Trail. I'll give out free whistles if I need to.