Saturday, June 24, 2006

Special K Challenge

OK, it's day six, and I've exercised three out of the last six days. 'Course it did rain three of those days and so I let the bike sit those three days. I was thinking on one of those rainy days that I haven't ridden a bicycle since the late 80s, a good thing I'm not starting out too gung ho here.

Plus I think I remember hearing that exercise three times a week will help. Today I didn't get to my bike riding until after lunch. This is not a good idea. For one thing it was warmer. And I have enough trouble staying cool without exertion!

Secondly, there are a heck of a lot more people out in the middle of the day than there is early morning. Not necessarily that bad of a thing, except I'm still not that confident on my bike. If I'm going to make a mistake, I'd prefer not to have an audience.

But rather than retreat I slowed my pace down and was able to go almost twice as far as I did earlier in the week. I felt like I could go farther once I got to the shadier part of the path, but I diverted and headed towards home. I stopped near a tennis court to catch my wind and sit in the shade for a few minutes. I pushed my bike across their parking lot, and something shiny caught my eye. Because I had one foot on the pedal and one foot on the ground pushing myself along on the ground, I overshot. I parked the bike and walked back. And forth. And back again. Nothing. I am not seeing anything, and I'm slightly annoyed.

Finally after 3 more trips back and forth where I thought I saw it, I gave up. Rode my bike over to a grassy area to see if there was a shortcut thru there, but there wasn't. I turned around and headed back towards home. That's when I saw it again. This time with both feet on the pedals, and my hands near the brakes, I stopped in time.

Did I mention the parking lot is gravel? And loose gravel at that. Probably not a place someone who isn't confident in her biking skills yet should be! The bike made a squiggly dive, but I got one foot on the ground before it went completely over. I was grateful not to end up with road rash my first week out.

And wonder of wonder, I was right above the shiny object. I climbed off to see what it was. A nickel! I wondered how long it might have been hiding there is all this loose gravel, so I wiped at it with my finger, peered at it over the top of my glasses....1955. Surely not! I wiped again, and yessirree, it really was a 1955 nickel.

I have no pockets in my jogging pants. No purse, no pocket in my t-shirt. What to do with this prize, I wonder. So I stick it in my shoe!
Posted by acp :: 5:51 PM :: 0 Comments:

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