Just let it go

Yesterday, Saturday, I had the most fabulous 18.7 mile bike ride of my entire adult biking career. I discovered the Fit Trail in The Meadows and that made the ride absolutely epic! I don't know why it took me 8 months to venture that far from home, but it was worth it. There was no threat of rain so that was probably why I took the plunge. The path weaves for about two miles through trees, over bridges, around lakes, and by the Bird Sanctuary and Botanical Gardens. OMG, it's a magnificent ride!

 

Along The Meadows Fit Trail

I still remember my first ride on January 16, 2011. I was out for 40 minutes and when I came home, I could barely make it to the sofa because my legs felt like jelly. I thought I rode six miles, but it was only three! I don't get those jelly feelings in my legs any more, but I think my thighs started to feel something around the 18 mile mark. That's no big thing because it quickly passed.

While I was out, I went to the playscape area. They have this new No Trespassing sign posted. First the chain link fence cutting me off from the basketball court, and now the sign. Starting to get paranoid. I'm a trespasser from way back. (Remember when I went to the plant thief's home looking for my plants and yard ornaments? Her spouse or son or whoever he was, threatened to call the police as I made my way along his side yard to the back yard. I should have let him call, then the police could have sorted it all out and I could let it go.) Anyway, not long after I left the playscape parking lot, a helicopter was circling. Were they looking for me, Toxic Trespasser? If they were, they didn't find me!

 

No Trespassing sign                                   Helicopter

Few people were out on the paths; however, coming home there were two teens headed east while I was traveling west. The path is wide enough for two bikers to pass each other, but I guess we were playing chicken because the boys stayed in the middle. Since I'm riding the Nirve with the glamorous pink bell, removable wicker basket, and the miniest of laptops, the Cateye cyclocomputer, I had more to lose, so I rode off into the grass and let them pass. I learned several weeks ago that I could ride in the grass. There's minimal traction, but it's doable. Besides which, the prospect of scraped knees and elbows was not exactly appealing. 

When I was a teenager, all those scars on my knees from bike falls were the blight of my life. I can't even imagine why I was falling. I certainly wasn't doing anything tricky or fancy. The most daring thing I did on my bike was ride with no hands down 4th Avenue. Little did I know then that those scars on my knees were nothing compared to what I would have to worry about as I got older, e.g., saggy butt, flabby arms, gray hair, and turkey neck. Actually, I don't even have those worries. Biking takes care of the butt, weight lifting takes care of the arms, my hair has very minimal gray, and eventually when I'm up for it, there's the Lifestyle Lift for the face and neck. So, no worries!

Wish there was a kid somewhere whom I could encourage to let go of all those crazy notions we get in our heads about our bodies. Or perhaps there's an adult somewhere. If you can do something about whatever it is about your self-image that is causing unrest, just do it. Otherwise, let it go. Life is too short...way too short. Remember 9/11? Of course you do. Things can be over in an instant. Just let it go.