Bike Riding

I really started getting into a new hobby out here: bike riding. I absolutely love the wind in my hair and the burn in my quads (especially when I am pulling both my kids)! It was hard to get out and do in California only because there really wasn't anywhere fun and pretty to go, that was close by and safe to tow the kids. So one of the things I absolutely LOVED about Colorado Springs, the first time we came to check out the area when we were thinking about moving here, is all the trails everywhere! I just LOVE the Santa Fe trail, even in the off months, its still beautiful. Its perfect for my stroller/trailer whether I want to take the kids for a stroll and let them run around, or for a run, or a bike ride, and its so close and totally safe for them.

Just recently I met a new friend at Gold Gym and she bike rides a lot on the Air Force Base. She can bring me in as a sponsor; we went for a ride last Friday and it was so much fun. Of course, this was after quite a few annoying setbacks. I had gone for a bike ride by myself with the kids the day before and, like the airhead I can be sometimes, I forgot that I had the bike on top of my car and drove it right into the house! (What makes it even more infuriating is that was not the first, but the second time I've done that!!) Fortunately, the racks weren't ruined and my bike looked okay. I tried to count myself lucky and just forget about it. But the next day when I set my bike up with my friend, the brakes were continually locked on the wheel because part of the frame had gotten bent a little. We tried to fix it for a little while (all the time I'm feeling like an idiot for not checking out my bike the before coming to meet her), then tried to find some way to just tie the brakes out the way, I would just rely on my rear brakes, which are safer anyway. Once we got that figured out we rode down to the entrance, only to be turned away because I wasn't wearing a helmet (silly me!). We drove back to her house so I could borrow a helmet, duct taped my brakes out of the way, and tried again. By this time I was feeling really bad for causing so much trouble. Once we got back we unloaded the bikes, again, and rode down to the entrance, again. Only to be turned away, AGAIN, because I needed my driver's license! ARGH. After another quick trip back to the car we were finally admitted and on our way.

It was definitely worth all the trouble. It was so beautiful! It was a nice, cool day, and the ride was up hill the first half, and downhill on the way back, so we felt great by the time we got back to our cars. It was so exhilarating, and a great workout! My legs were pretty shaky the rest of the day. We decided to try to ride together every Friday, I am so looking forward to it!!