When I first started riding a bicycle as an adult…I was afraid of hills…somehow…I had this vision of myself attempting to go up a hill…and rolling back down…so…I rode for weeks…at least…to the bottom of this little hill by my house…turned around…and rode the quarter mile back home…I didn’t ride in the opposite direction because there was a fairly busy road to cross…
According to Bertha…I limited myself…
Riding in North Carolina |
Of course…she’s right…I did…but…I also built up strength in my legs…I gained stamina…by riding…over and over again…that same half mile loop…it really wasn’t intentional on my part…it was just what I did…
Until…one day…call me bored…call me brave…call me crazy…I kept going at the foot of the hill…it was challenging…but I made it to the end of the road…where I turned around…at another even busier road…but…my cycling world had doubled…I now had a mile loop…woo hoo…
My world expanded that day…I soon began to cross that fairly busy road…riding another small country road…and before long…I was riding the road I considered busy…and…before I knew it…I was riding all over the place…miles and miles…hills and flats…I rode them all…
Interestingly…that little hill…and…trust me…it is pretty little…is still a fairly challenging climb…something about the grade of it…
Bertha’s advice for making it up hills…just keep pedaling…some days…it’s easier than others…
Jane
Great post as always. Makes you think. Thanks Jane.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tasha...to me...everything is connected...everything make me think...sometimes it just makes more sense than others...
DeleteOh my gosh - I remember when you started riding, and I remember you telling me about that hill... and I remember you telling me you rode over it ;)
ReplyDeleteWhat an inspiration... just keep pedaling... pedaling as a metaphor for so many simple things we fear in life...
Yes...Jenn...that hill...the funny thing is...it is more difficult to ride up the back side...there isn't much room to gain speed before the slope...glad I didn't know that before I went over the top!!!!!!!!
DeleteThis was both fun to read and very inspiring.I have just began writing and have found mysself cought up in awhirlwind already being published--Now I must write more and Im circling that hill..........
ReplyDeleteCathy...the hill does tend to...loom out there in front of us...pedaling helps us get to the top...and maintain our focus...I know great things are coming for you...just keep pedaling!
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