Bike days

When I was eight, I waited until there was no traffic and crossed Madison Avenue, building up speed on my bike to shoot down Lincoln, the road diagonal from my house. At a certain point I'd take my feet off the pedals and hold them out in front of me, coasting down the quiet Penndel streets under a canopy of trees, hair flying out behind me. Warm air went rushing by with an undercurrent of chill common to early June. Almost twilight, almost time to go home. One last ride around the big triangle that was my okay to ride alone ground.

Some point between there and when I got a 10-speed in junior high, bike riding lost its luster for me. I never rode a bike in high school or college.

I remember being in Key West for my Dad's 50th birthday, renting bikes with MFD and my brother. I had to re-learn how to have balance. I felt a little fear in my stomach. It's just like riding a bike never quite rang true for me, as you might guess. Falling seemed to be a bigger deal as I approached 30. MFD and Stephen were far ahead, MFD circling back around looking at me with concern and also a little how can you be so unsure of yourself on a bike?

That Key West trip was 10 years ago, and in those 10 years, I never got on a bike again until this spring when I took my new beach cruiser out for a cautious loop at the shore. I'm possibly more afraid of falling now than ever, and more unsure of my balance on the bike. Still, I envision myself recapturing the comfort I felt on a bike when I was young. Will it happen? I don't know. But I'm aiming for it.

Even though I've been on a bike twice in the past 20 years, when the weather starts to get warmer, I still think bike days are here again.

What thoughts does warmer weather usher in for you?