As they say, "It's just like riding a bike" and it was!! Over the weekend I decided to concur number 29 on the 40 before 40 list. It has been years, 25 to be exact, since I've ridden a bike. I remember my first ten speed. It was aherry red and I literally rode it every day, especially in the summer when we made the treck to Roe Pool.
In the summer of 1988, I had a horrible wreck on my way to ballet class. I remember it vividly. That summer Patch and Kayla were getting married on Days of Our Lives. It was literally the wedding of the summer! I was running late to ballet because I setting our VCR for the wedding that afternoon. (Yes VCR because it was the summer of 1988.) Patch and Kayla were one of three power couples on Days and this wedding was a long time company. I mean, she was able to speak her vows after losing her speech! But I digress...
Because I was running late, I flew out of the house. I had on this darling blue dress that my mom made me. It wasn't a maxi, just a nice knee length cotton dress for summer. My ballet bag was thrown over my back and I was peddling like Ms. Gulch from The Wizard of Oz. I turned the corner at 102nd Street and headed down the hill. Unbeknowst to me, there was a huge sand patch at the bottom of the hill, which I hit going at full speed. I lost control of the bike, flew over the handle bars and landed flat on my chest. I laid there for a minute, completely stunned, and a runner came over to help me up. The fall had knocked the wind out of me, and when I tried to thank him, all that came out was wheezing. I was finally able to compose myself and assess the situation. My bike was ruined!
The handle bars were turned the complete opposite direction and couldn't be corrected. I was a bloody a mess. My knee was turn open and the small part of flesh behind my ankle bone had been ripped open from the jagged edges of the foot peddles. Luckily, my friend Jana lived up the street so I was able to hobble my way there. There was I was. Bleeding from the knee and ankle, ballet tights ripped to shreds, the bag flung over my back and me dragging my bike back up that dreaded hill. I got to her house and called my dad to come get me. I got settled in, bandaged and cleaned up, and got to watch the wedding afterall!
After that wreck, I did get a new bike. It was a blue boy bike without a kick stand! Not sure why I had to have a boy bike without a kick stand, but that's what I wanted. I think I rode that bike a handfull of times and now it resides on hooks on the ceiling of my parents gargage. It still has the bike chain around the seat and god only knows what the combination is! But on this day, the day I decided to ride a bike for the first time in 25 years, I rode my dad's mountain bike. Why? Because it was down and convenient! I was a nervous wreck, but I was able to get right back on that bike seat like no time had passed. Below are photos of the big event!
And McKinley had to get in on the fun! He wanted to ride mama's bike so he did!
Then he wanted to show us how he could get on his bike! He's really mastered getting on and off by himself.
So there you go! Number 29 can be checked off the 40 Before the Big 4-0 list! Not sure I will find myself riding a bike all the time, but so proud of myself for getting back on the seat!
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