Wow! I could never do that!

I often find myself answering questions about cycling. People ask where I ride; most everywhere. How far I ride; pretty far. The conditions I ride in; all. What I carry on my bike; everything. Who I ride with; my kids. Why I ride; cycling makes each day a challenge and an adventure.

Frequently, I hear “Wow! I could never do that!” Invariably, I think, “The only reason you couldn’t, is because you’ve decided you couldn’t.” I assure people that it really isn’t hard. Then, I encourage them to give it a try, while helping them figure out how to begin.

One thing I have learned from cycling is that you can do anything if you really want to, give yourself a little extra time, and remember to pack water and snacks. My children, ages 8 &10, and I ride our bikes to and from school averaging seven miles each day. We run errands, visit friends, buy groceries, and go camping on our bicycles. Everywhere we go; we go on our bikes.

When it’s hot, we sweat. When it’s cold, we bundle up. When it rains, we get wet. Regardless of the conditions, we always return home safely. Sometimes we wish we were home “Right now!” but we’re not, so we keep going. When we are especially miserable: we make up silly songs like “If I ever lose my brain, I’d ride my bike out in the rain”. Whatever the circumstances, we make it through having fun with lots of laughter and a few tears.

I am constantly amazed by what we accomplish when we try. Ironically, our worst cycling experiences have become family lore. Like veterans with their war stories, we reminisce about the tough times we have survived on our bicycles.

There’s the time my daughter and I got caught riding in a hailstorm. She was crying “ouchie” as hailstones pelted her. “We’ll be home soon, sweetie” I reassured. I could barely see due to the rain and my tears. Two years later, the three of us found ourselves five miles from home as a cold front moved in. I offered to call and ask Daddy to pick us up, the kids, ages 5 & 7 at the time, refused. We rode through blustery wind and driving rain seeing who could make the best barfing noises, while daydreaming of hot cocoa and the warm fire that awaited us at home. Cycling isn’t always quick or easy. Neither is life, but two wheels and a healthy dose of humor can take you an awfully long way.

I’m not superhuman. I just prefer bicycles to cars, so I am raising my children car free. We love hearing Spring’s first bird songs, smelling late Autumn sun on crisp fallen leaves, and feeling brisk Winter air fill our lungs as we cycle through our lives. Bicycling makes every day a delicious adventure and reminds us we are capable of anything when we let ourselves try.