Bruised knuckles and aching bum
I've always heard people say once you have learned to ride a bicycle you never forget how to. My hubby would usually repeat the same mantra to me too because he recently began bike riding again. They would go off around our complex, him and the kids, riding and I would be inside doing something else. He wanted me to join them and I would always say that I can't, I don't remember how to ride a bicycle!
You see, I learned to ride a bicycle when I was 15 years old! I taught myself by riding my friend's bike and that was a couple of days of aching muscles and bruised knees and elbows! It was fun too because I was determined to ride a bike! My parents didn't buy a bicycle for us kids. There was a tricycle that we all rode. But none of us had our very own bike. We didn't really miss out on anything because we had other things to amuse ourselves with! Eventually, my brothers as they got older learned to ride their friends bike until they got their own as well. Me on the other hand, having always wanted to learn to do it, did the daring deed of teaching myself with the amusement of my peers at the time!
As I repeated this story for the umpteenth time to my hubby he said, get dress and come out you'll do it again, it's easy. So I gave in to his persuasion and got dressed! It was last Friday evening and it was pretty late but it was perfect to try again because there was no one around for me to be embarrassed and no cars coming to bump me off! While the kids went off riding around, my hubby trailed me as I sat on the bike with one leg on the pedal and the other pushing off and balancing myself as the bike moved more quickly.
It was actually fun doing it that way, one foot on the left pedal, the right foot hanging as I picked up speed. Then he shouted for me to put the other leg up and start pedaling! You would think this was the easiest thing to do but it wasn't! I started mumbling that I was too old for this! But that old determination came back and I finally did it! It was with glee and amazement at the fact that I could still ride a bike that I pedal quite wobbly around the complex gaining confidence by the minute! I then realised that I had an audience and felt a bit silly!lol!
I had had enough so we went back inside and then realised that we were out there for an hour! The next day I woke up, my bum was sore and my knuckles bruised because of how I was holding the handlebars! You know what, it was worth every ace and pain! I told my family that we're going to go to the skating rink next to see if we remember how to do that! Hubby says no way, but he's going to do it with me some time next year!LOL!