My Brief Bicycling History, Part 2

After that embarrassing and painful episode, I decided I needed to learn to ride. And the only way to do that was with practice. I began suggesting we bike to nearby places. For some reason, DS agreed. With understandable hesitation. I can't say I was much (if any) less whiny on subsequent practice rides, but I became more and more comfortable on my bike.

Finally I decided I was ready. I was going to bike commute to work the next morning, on Bike to Work Day. I spent a long time the night before figuring out what I would wear, how to tote my work clothes and toiletries with me, and most importantly, how the hell to get there.

That morning, DS escorted me to our pit stop, where we picked up the swag they were handing out for BTWD. Afterward, we kissed good-bye and parted ways, and I was on my own. Somehow I made it to work alive...and I didn't even have to walk my bike up all the hills this time. Just some of them.

So, high on success, I thought I'd be adventurous and try another route home, one with seemingly more bike trails than my morning route winding through Georgetown. Big mistake. BIG.

I took a wrong turn and ended up on the Route 66 bridge. Now, for a more experienced rider than I was at the time, this would've been simply, you know...a different route? For me, it was more of a torturous ride of terror, doom and (near-) death. The trail over the bridge is quite narrow, just barely wide enough for two riders to pass. And according to my (admittedly possibly skewed) memory, the rail on the traffic side is not even waist-high. So every time someone on the trail would pass me headed in the opposite direction, they would have to slow down and use the high river-side rail for balance. Because I was on the traffic-side, I essentially had nothing to grab and nearly went toppling into the middle of rush-hour I-66. By the time I reached the end of the bridge, I was shaking violently and crying. So basically looking awesome.

It took me a while to recover from that. But when I finally decided to give it another go, I really was ready.

By making the commute a couple of times a week, I slowly improved to the point where I didn't walk my bike up any hills. And now I don't even dread them. By no means do I like them, and I still whine about them to anyone who will listen.

I even bought a pretty new bike after a while. With amazing turquoise handlebars.