I especially wanted to find things that were outside. I know how I am when I am cooped up in the house and how much a little fresh air and sunshine can help improve the mood. I also needed to find something that didn't cost a lot of money - outfitting three kids for a new sport or hobby could certainly add up.
It didn't take long before I realized everything I needed was right under my nose. Ok, not under my nose but in our shed.
Bicycles!!
We have four bikes in our shed. Two of them worked. Two needed to be fixed. This was always a 'something we would get to later'. You know, when we had time. Guess who's got lots of that now? Everyone!
The purple bike was given to us a few years ago by a neighbor for our daughter to use. Guess who never used it? Our daughter.
The big black bike was found on garbage day on the side of the road. Guess which family member took it for a spin? Not one. Thanks to Zak's Bike Shop, in the Christy Park section of McKeesport, we were able to reasonably get both bikes ready for the road.
There was also a 10-speed in the mix that was bought for our oldest on his 13th birthday. My dad made a triumphant entrance riding the bike up the street for the big unveil during my son's party. It has probably been three years since he last took it for a spin. Guess who is riding it now?
Maybe you have picked up on the math lesson here. Five people minus four bikes equals one person who does not have a bike. This really hasn't been a problem for us. There haven't been many instances when all of us are riding at the same time. I am on the hunt for a fifth bike though and I'm really hoping I've been a good girl and maybe the Easter Bunny will bring me one. (Decked out with a basket, handlebar streamers, and a bell.)
At first we started taking the kids to the abandoned Eastland Mall site to ride. It is a massive space and, although somewhat rugged, it is a lot of fun. Plus, there are some great views of the Monongahela River and Duquesne hillsides.
The greatest thing for me about riding a bike is the feeling I get when I'm on one. It is like I am a kid again. The rushing of the wind in my face is so similar to the feeling I would get riding down the steep hill, daring to sometimes go hands free, from the Short Stop - the Grandview Avenue store we were allowed to ride to for a candy bar and a pop.
The biggest difference now is the fear in the back of my mind of falling off the bike and possibly breaking a bone or... my face. I fell off of my bike as a child and a banged up knee is what I got. I know that is no longer an option now that 30 plus years have gone by and let's just say, my hardware probably isn't as sturdy as it used to be.
We have packed up the bikes and taken the kids to the Great Allegheny Passage trail in McKeesport. It is really a great place to go with lots to look at including: the JFK statue, the police/fire station, the old National Tube Works, railroad tracks and again the Monongahela River. There is a bridge you can ride across with the river underneath - maybe a challenge for those who have a fear of heights, like we discovered with my 9-year-old.
There was a moment of embarrassment the first time I rode up the hill leading to the flyover bridge. There were a lot of experienced bikers zooming past me. "Passing on the left" they would say - and I was clinging to the metal fence lining the side. I swallowed my pride and didn't even let it bother me. I thought, "I'm 45 and on a bike after a 20+ year hiatus. I am Toe-Wanda." ( Fried Green Tomato movie reference.)
I am feeling a little bit better these days about wearing yoga pants, which works well with bike riding. I may not feel as good once Lent is over and the chocolate flood gates are opened but that is a worry for next week. Maybe I'll have to bike four miles instead of three.
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| Don't let the biker pose fool you - we are happy. |
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