It was a perfect evening to ride my bike last night. It’s something I definitely need to do more often for several reasons. First I need to get my butt back in shape and I really hate running so biking is a great alternative. Plus I have a better chance of outracing a dog if needed and I like cruising down hills.
Secondly it reminds me when I was young. I used to ride my bike everywhere when I was kid. I had a handful of bikes and remember almost all of them because they were the soundtrack of my youth. I remember exactly where I was when I learned to ride a bike. It was a crappy bike that I think my cousins owned and gratefully pawned off to me. I couldn’t tell you what color she was or the brand, but like most things in life I remember all of its flaws.
It had no pedals… well, I should say it had the metal rod piece to place your foot on like a bike peg but no flat pedal to support my entire foot. I would pedal maybe two full revolutions and my feet would roll forward and I would have to keep adjusting by scooting my feet back on the metal rod. I have well-defined calves to this day because of her so I can’t complain (I’ll challenge anyone to a calf-flexing competition).
The pedal thing wasn’t even the worst part of the bike. She didn’t sport rubber tires for wheels. No, she had the black, made-to-look-real, hard plastic wheels. The same material as ones you would see on a kid’s Radio Flyer wagon. I literally felt every freaking crack, bump, rock, etc. so it was more comfortable for my butt to ride standing on the pedal thing. But doing that put so much pressure on my feet standing on two medal rods/pedals. I should have just ran to places come to think of it, but even back then I knew I hated running. Bikes could only go uphill literally and figuratively from that first beauty.
Then the movie “Rad” happened in 1986 and changed all grade school boy’s thinking of bikes. Diamondback and BMX bikes were totally awesome and everyone wanted one. They were a little pricey so I got some knock-off Huffy at Wal-Mart. I remember she was red, had REAL tires, and I would try to do all these tricks like spinning the handle bars, curb indos, your typical wheelies, and of course jumps. A wooded area across the street from our house became an obstacle course for my friends and I. How I never got lyme disease is a mystery with all the hours we spent going back and forth. God placed a perfectly-formed mound about five feet tall at the end of the woods that made a perfect ramp. We would have some epic jumping contests. No one ever attempted any flips, but there were some fantastic crashes. I ran that bike to the ground, but she’ll forever be my favorite.
The third reason I should ride my bike more is how aesthetically pleasing it can be. Normally I jump into my Toyota Highlander and take off on the most direct route passing by homes, parks, stores, etc. without giving a glance. A bike slows everything down. I’m not in a rush to get somewhere or worried about hitting another red light. Don’t have to flip through radio stations to find something interesting. It’s just me and the road and whether I want to go left, right, or straight is the biggest thing to ponder.
Growing up in town of about 10,000 people I knew every street and alley, every short cut, which streets to avoid because of hills, and which homes let the dogs roam free. Riding my mountain bike last night and exploring different neighborhoods near my home was refreshing. As I weaved through streets I was transported back to that Huffy only I had no idea where I was going. I stumbled across neighborhoods and found parks tucked away here and there. I had an idea where I was at all times, and it was fun trying to get back to those familiar roads. But part of me wanted to just keep venturing off and get lost. I would have taken that chance if it wasn’t getting dark.
Life is a lot like that I think. We might have an idea of the right path, but the more you take the path less known, the less it becomes unknown. We’re in such a rush to get on the most direct route that if we ever get lost, we don’t know what to do. We miss all the little things along the way and the details become a blur. We become so focused on the destination that the thrill of the journey becomes a burden. Our lives become charted out like a GPS and we lose our instincts to find our way.
So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, just slow it down because even if there’s an easier way does not mean it’s better. Take a break if you have to. If it looks interesting, go detour over to it. Don’t forget that dead ends have some cool sights and give you an opportunity see them twice… from a different angle. Take that turn you always wondered about taking and see where it leads. No matter how dark it's going to get, don't worry... you’ll find your way back.
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