When I was working for the Forest Service I usually biked to work during the spring, summer, and fall, but since retiring, my biking has been very sparse. Last year, I don’t think I got on the bike at all. That made me feel bad, because I know the exercise is good for me, and I like bicycling.
Yesterday was our scheduled Book Club gathering at the library. That meant that I didn’t have to bring anything to town except my iPad, and I didn’t have to haul any supplies back home. The weather was sunny and mild, so there really wasn’t any excuse for me not to bike to the library.
I got my bike out of the barn, wiped all the dust off of it, inflated the tires, and oiled all of the moving parts. I was ready to bike the 4 miles (6 kms) to the library, at least mentally, physically, was a different story.
After I started off on the trip, it didn’t take long for my leg muscles to send messages of objection to my brain, but my brain ignored it, and I peddled on. For years those biking leg muscles have had an easy time of it, and suddenly all this labor had been thrust upon them.
I was tired when I arrived at the library, but the trip had only taken me about 15 minutes, so I was early for the Book Club and was able to rest my wobbly leg muscles before the gathering. My trip back home was not so pleasant.
Biking to McBride is relatively easy, there are some slight “ups” but the trip is mostly downhill, however biking from McBride back home is mostly uphill, especially the steep, torturous, hill up to the Mennonite Church.
I decided to take the “shortcut” beside the highway, that went down the very steep incline at the edge of the highway, something I used to do all of the time, but being out of practice and hitting some gravel, made my front wheel veer to the left which caused me to lose my balance, thrusting me forward, off of the bike, and onto the ground. Fortunately, both the bike and myself survived the fall, and we both made it home. As expected, the Mennonite Hill was a long, tiring, struggle.
Once home and walking to the house, my legs felt like jelly, and by evening, my leg muscles were still complaining.
Today is another warmish, beautiful sunny day, and I have the Writing Group meeting at the library. Should I bike or drive? I would like the exercise, but maybe I should give my leg muscles more time to recover. I guess I will have to decide later today.
In case you are wondering, that thing sticking out from my bike helmet is a rear view mirror.
No comments:
Post a Comment