It's Like Riding a Bike

Actually, that's exactly what it was like... riding a bike. I did 2 miles on the stationary bike at the gym today, and got a wild hair (well, in truth, I've been having desires to ride a bike again for a couple weeks now), to try riding a regular road bike. I no longer have a bike, but my son's 26" mountain bike has been dormant in the garage for years... pump that baby up and see if it will hold me. It did. Getting on isn't a small feat though. Mounting over the saddle is a big swing for this old girl, even though I always road boy's bikes when I was younger. I never cared much for the low bar on a girl's bike... right about now it would be a good thing I'm thinking. 

Managed to get on, and wobble around for a bit on my tip toes down the gravel driveway. Then tried to pedal. One foot down, so far so good... now hoist that second foot up to the top pedal as it comes around---- um, nope. 

Nope on the second try too. 

Finally on the third I managed to scrunch it up there, and road for several feet before stopping. 

Again-- road a little further. 

Again--road half a block down the alley. 

Turned around and struggled to get the foot back on, and road back 1/2 a block to the garage. 

That was enough for the day. I was huffing and puffing, and my heart rate was 148, so time to rest, and try again tomorrow. 

What kind of surprised me is that actually riding was not hard. It was fun, and I didn't have any balance issues which had kind of scared me. My problem was the on/off and the start up each time. I think after a few (dozen) days like today, I might even have the courage to go around the block a time or two. I don't mind slow, as long as I have a little progress each time, I feel good about it. Riding a bike really is like "riding a bike." You don't really forget I guess, but you do get a little rusty (and old, and fat, and old haha).