I never thought it would happen to me…………..but is has and
I’m OK with it. Oh, you’ll never catch
me in my padded Lycra shorts without leisure shorts over top and I’m not yet
clacking about in clip in shoes, but I am thoroughly enjoying the sport of
cycling.
It started this spring when Terry and I finally purchased
hybrid road bikes like we had been talking about for quite a few years. We have more time now and with Terry’s recent
knee surgery it was the sport of choice while he gets back to full form.
We started with a couple of trips to Lonsdale Quay, peddling
around the Seawall and eventually all the way to Ambleside. Next thing you know, I was participating with
friends in the “Ride Don’t Hide” fundraiser for Mental Health. The choice was the 20km route or the 60km
route. I wondered at first, which I
should do, but quickly chose the 60; easy-peasy………riding 20k is kind of like
going for a 20 minute hike.
Now we are planning weekends and holidays to involve biking. We did the Galloping Goose Trail on Vancouver
Island on the Canada Day weekend and are going to do a ride in Seattle when we
head down there this weekend for a Mariners game. We are also planning to do some cycling on
our Croatia trip coming up in September.
In mid July I decided to try cycling to work for the first
time. It is 20km and takes me about an
hour. I did my first trip on a day I
didn’t start work until 9am so I could cushion in some margin of error. What a great route and all was fine so now
I’m set. I’ve done it twice more,
leaving at 5:30am for my 7am shift and I’m able to shower there thanks to the
handy facilities in our lab restroom.
Today was my third time and I really enjoy it. I find I’m challenging myself to power up
some short hills, to try to keep up with an old guy in front of me and
sometimes a young guy (fat chance!). I
race to make green lights downtown, watching the pedestrian crossing
countdown;…….5, 4, 3, 2……..I can make it!
As I pedal down Adanac trail through the middle of Vancouver, the third
most populous city in Canada, without a care in the world as far as car traffic
goes, I find myself very appreciative of this wonderful, overpriced city that
we live in and for the downtown bike lanes complements of “Mayor Moonbeam”. There were a few exhaust fumes on Dunsmuir on
my way home and plenty of noise as I crossed the Second Narrows Bridge but once
I hit Dollarton, it’s the home stretch and the big city is behind me. The nice painted bicycles along the road remind to to keep safely to the right. I always aim for that right tire on the picture. I don't "live on the left edge" as some others I notice, who would?
I feel like a kid again as I ride my bike and I am simply
delighted to be a cycling enthusiast!
