Although I exercise every day, I’d not ridden a bike in over ten years. My sister planned a beautiful bike ride around Mt. Vernon during the perfect time of the year when the fall leaves were brilliant. I hardly got two pedals in when I realized the seat was far too high. Even people who were biking in the opposite direction paused to share a laugh at my ass high in the air. I called to my sister and nephew to stop and wait as I lowered the seat.
At one point, my sister wanted her bike, so I switched with her and rode my nephew’s old bike. How to explain? Riding my nephew’s old bike was like willingly riding a two-wheeled medieval torture device where my arms were stretched out at an unnatural angle. During the ride, I listened to Daughter of a Daughter to a Queen about the only Black woman who was one of the Buffalo Soldiers after the Civil War, which helped ease my discomfort. Something about hearing another person’s worse situation makes one feel better.
After a while, I couldn’t take it anymore and I had to switch with my sister again. We’d planned to bike to town to have ice cream or a smoothie or some such thing, but we turned around after my sister realized that the restaurant destination was farther away than she’d anticipated. She even stated that next time, she’d have to park closer. Hmm, next time I’m going to ride one of her daughter’s bikes.
Nonetheless, it was beautiful scenery, weather and one of the best ways to listen to an audio book.