After deciding that I wanted to be healthier, I treated myself to a bike. I had been mulling over the idea of buying one for quite awhile, but I’ve never been an avid cyclist. I didn’t own my first bike until well into my childhood, because the neighborhood I grew up in was not bike-friendly. We didn’t have sidewalks and there was no good place for kids to safely ride. Even after I did get a bike, I couldn’t really venture off and have adventures riding it. After I learned to drive, that was really it for bike riding.
Here in Washington, there are a lot of different bike-friendly trails and places to ride, and I grew more intrigued. I have several friends that really enjoy a good long bike ride, and I finally couldn’t stop myself. I took the plunge and bought my very own bike. I chose a Trek 7.3 fx, and I absolutely love it.
Once I had purchased the bike, it was time to get out on a trail and ride the thing. To say I was nervous was an understatement. I had no idea how I’d feel after a ride, how far I could go, or what kind of rider I would be. Bill also bought himself a bike, so we took them out to the Burke-Gilman Trail and rode a few miles just to get comfortable and see what adjustments we needed to make. While I was reassured that I could still ride a bike, I was definitely nervous to take it out for “real” rides.
Last Saturday, we met up with friends and rode a total of 23 miles on the Burke-Gilman and Sammamish River Trails. About halfway through the ride, it started raining, so we were pretty soaked by the time we got back to our car. But it was FUN!
I didn’t die.
I didn’t pass out.
I didn’t even get cranky.
And I LOVED riding my bike.

Being on a bike makes me happy. I may not be the most skilled or fastest cyclist on the planet (far from it, actually), but I felt really great by the time we finished that 23 miles. I am so proud of what we accomplished. I’m looking forward to spending my summer outside, enjoying my new bike and exploring trails.