My bike spill yesterday has put a temporary hold on my biking adventure. My knee is swollen and sore, and I don’t think there will be another riding attempt today.
This is turning out to be more complicated than I thought. I went out to the barn to visit Betty this morning and to tell here there are no hard feelings. I believe I’ll get there eventually.
In the meantime, my favorite message about the spill came from my friend Alys in Alaska. She gave me some perspective.
“I just now read about your spill. Just wanted to say I have been there, so many times. Bicycling isn’t for the faint-hearted. You can do this. You will do this.
I was hit by a fellow out looking for his cows, in Wyoming; this was during my first solo cross country trip. I had a concussion and banged up knees. The Lander Wyoming nurses took me in. I did get back on the bicycle and I finished my trip. I spent a year in Portland, Oregon then bicycled to Alaska. Then I was not fearful. Fear comes with age.”
She rides in Alaska.
Never a failure, always a lesson… I don’t know who said that, but it is appropriate for so many situations. Take your time! I used to pull my son in a trailer long ago. We rode twenty miles into the wind (both ways). When I got off the bike I broke down and cried. I still ride, but without the anchor of a trailer.
knowing this might happen, would you still have chosen to do it? F– your dad and his all or nothing script that he imposed on you and YOUR life, is what I am taking home from all this.
Sure, I love the bike and very much look forward to getting a handle on riding it. Just because things are hard doesn’t mean I should do them. Everything worth doing is hard. I very much look forward to riding my bike.
Jon, Don’t over think it. I have gotten back to riding horses after a life time of bangs, falls, bites, and assorted things horses tend to do to their humans. I have been recovering from 2 torn rotator cuffs and a torn acl in my knee. The last thing I ever wanted was to get hurt again. I put off riding over and over. Thinking how I would deal with what ever injury this would cause… Well to get to the point, after many times of talking myself out of it.. I DID IT!!! I got on this huge horse, and rode him for over an hour. Yeah I was sore and stiff.. but I have never had such a huge grin on my face. For me, finally leaving all the “what if’s” out and just doing something I enjoy worked! Good luck to you.. You can do it!!