When I was a kid I had a plain old two-wheeler. No gears, no handle brakes and no brand new shiny finish. My bike was second-hand and I painted it blue. We lived on a quiet street and all of us speeded up and down the block and made a few loops around the connecting streets. Sometimes we rode double and it was a big deal to ride on someone's handle bars, much to our parents dismay. That bike represented freedom and I loved it. One day in September of my fifth grade year we had a school-wide assembly about bicycle safety. I don't know what I learned from the presentation but I do remember that it was that day that I was hit by a car in front of my house, while I was riding that blue, second-hand bike that I loved.
I got pretty well banged up when I was hit by the car and spent three months at home recuperating from a broken leg, concussion and internal injuries. My bike didn't fare very well either. The front wheel was bent in half and the handle bars were all twisted up. I recovered, but my bike didn't. My parents never allowed me to own another bike after that accident. I loved riding, so I bummed rides on my sister's bike and used the bikes of some of my friends, but that never gave me the sense of freedom that owning my own bike did. I felt like I was being punished forever for making the very big mistake of not watching carefully and getting myself hit.by a car. I would imagine it was probably more about my parent's fear and maybe even a lack of trust in me, rather than a forever punishment, but I still missed not having a bike.
My first brand new bike was purchased when I was pregnant with my first daughter, It was a bright yellow, ten speed and two years ago I got my second new bike. This bike looks more like my first bike - it's blue and pretty much the same shape, but with a few gears - not a sleek ten-speed. When I got the bike I started riding in the mornings before I went to work. It was great exercise and I love riding it as much as I loved it when I was a kid. Last summer the bike didn't come out of the garage once. I just wasn't up to riding and last summer the weather was unusually hot and humid. I can't tolerate the heat and humidity so that kind of weather is not conducive to outside exercise. I have high hopes for this summer. Once this rain stops, I plan to get on my bike and start with short rides in the neighborhood to begin to build my stamina. This medical leave is intended for me to get healthier and stronger and exercise has to be part of the plan. I like that my blue bike is part of my strategy.
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