What I didn't tell you about my vacation to the Outer Banks is, we hauled our bikes down to the beach for a little outdoor exercise and fun. Ben, his sister Tori and I got our bikes off the truck and filled our water bottles to go on a biking excursion. The first indication that I am not cut out for athletic activities is that Tori and Ben both had athletic clothing; Under Armour and other moisture wicking fabrics, while I was wearing khaki bermuda shorts and a tank top, because that is all I packed.
Anyway-- we were biking along a lovely flat bike path on the side of the road and as I am experiencing my sports-induced-asthma (which of course is not a real thing) the next thing I know I try to brake slightly and my front wheel goes all wobbly and I find myself tumbling over my handlebars. Somehow, to avoid serious cranial injury, I rolled over to my right and the bicycle tumbled over top of me. (The last time, mind you, that I crashed my bike is when my uncle first removed my training wheels). Ben checks to make sure I am okay and asks "what did you hit?". Nothing Ben, I hit nothing, I just... crashed my bike. A nice lady in her eighties was walking by and assured me not to feel badly because she cannot ride a bike either. And no, of course the 60 year age difference between us didn't make me feel ridiculous at all. I had a few awesome scratches on my right side, but the best was a bruise the size of an apple on my left thigh. I felt like a big i-d-i-o-t. Mostly, I am just thankful that my bumps and bruises were nothing time and a band-aid couldn't fix.
Here is my sweet bike when I bought it 2 years ago. I bought it in the fall and it has nice fall colors, so I named it "harvest". It came complete with a big comfy seat and bell. The worst part about my crash is that I broke my little bell. Sad day.
This incident got me to thinking- I am really really not cut out for biking (if you read my blog post about Bermuda, you may remember the alleged incident when I ran the motor-scooter into someone's hibiscus bush). Not only biking, but I am really not so much an athlete at all. I would like to think otherwise, as I did play sports when I was a kid, and I am now married to Mr. Outdoors.
Nevertheless, despite my athleticism deficit, a few years ago I tried paintballing for the first time. I hated it. A lot. One shot to the head and I was more than over that outdoor activity.
This unfortunate photo was snapped when we went hiking with Kaley and Nick. Who lies down in exhaustion on a rock during a hiking trip!?
All that's to say, we are talking about going biking this Saturday- so my plea is that you would pray for my very un-athletic self to make it out alive. I'll let you know...
4 comments:
LAUGHING SOOOOOO LOUD AND HARD.
I feel your pain. I sink like a rock in water. At least you can swim. I'll never have even the option of a spotlight on the remaking of bay watch. -val
Dad and I went on a bike ride when we visited camp this summer. It was a nice path with lots of trees on one side. Well after about two minutes on the bike I got bored and started paying attention to the picnic-ers we were passing and I immediately veered off the path, straight towards some trees. Another time (the same day), I was trying to catch up... TO MY FATHER... and so I pedaled as fast as I could. Well unbeknownst to me there was another biker coming around the curb and here I am flying around a curb. Again - headed to the trees, this time at a much faster and scary pace!
and now I know why my mother always told me to where a helmet.
Oh Tara, I thought I taught you how to ride a bike...but then it was Uncle who took those training wheels off. I am so glad you were not too badly injured in your recent athletic adventure. Practice makes perfect. Hope you are ok. I still love you, Auntie C.
Post a Comment