Tuesday, May 23, 2006

THE BIKE RIDE

Summer is fast approaching and the need to air up bike tires is on the list before the weekend hits.


Every Memorial Day weekend a huge group of our friends and all of our children load up on our bikes and head down to our lovely downtown for the local parade. Since each one of us has 4 to 5 children a piece we are quite the sight going through intersections. I believe last year there were 36 of us. Some people bring long tables beforehand and we all each bring food, and beverage. Everything we need with the exception of the bathroom. That is always a hike.



Everyone is dapper in their red, white and blue clothing and we usually have flags hanging off the back of our bikes. As wonderful of a Norman Rockwell picture that I have painted let me tell you that I have one rule.



I DO NOT DO HILLS!


It is a sad reminder of how I need to build up my endurance level. Everyone in our group knows this so when we approach a hill the cheering begins "COME ON ...YOU CAN DO IT!" This of course makes me laugh which makes it that much more challenging. But it is blast to say the least. Even when the 4 and 5 year olds are passing me up.

I was always that girl in school who was last in laps, could never climb the rope, and forget sit ups...I would wait for our P.E. coach to turn his head so I could add 10 to my total. I wasn't out of shape, I was just not athletic. In high school I was on the dance team and could high kick with the best of them.


Then of course came the 80's dance clubs where the strobe lights were blinking and the records were spinning ...I never got off of the dance floor.

There was a day not long ago that my 14 year old challenged me to a DDR event in our living room. It was hard and I had to use my inhaler...but that was because he chose my song. Once I realized there was some 80's dance beat going on...I was flying. It was a great workout.

So maybe ...just maybe if I were to add an 80's playlist to my hubbies Ipod I could get up that hill on a bike.
If not then I will take the flat land and stop to smell the roses on the way.

No comments: