I try to exercise at least 3 times a week and during the school year I go to the woman's club "Curves" I must say I am one of the youngest ladies there. Sad but old people are funny and I fit right in. Anyway - I've been going there for 5 years or so and well I'm taking the summer off. No comments on how I don't look like I exercise - I also like my ice cream!! Think what I'd look like if I didn't exercise. The HORROR!!!
Anyway - I have been trying to ride my bike as much as possible this summer. Doing something different - the same ol' exercise week after week gets boring. But boring is safer. I have discovered that riding your bike can be dangerous. I have tried to figure out what is the most dangerous thing out there for old lady bike riders like me and I have come up with a few.
These are not listed in any particular order - manly because - depending on the day and what is going on depends on whether I think it is the most dangerous thing.
The first thing is automobiles. They think they own the road. Of course when I am driving a car I think that too - still. It doesn't matter how big they are - I don't see them behind me. Guess I should get a mirror.
Next - people. They come in all shapes and sizes - young and old. But if they don't know their right from their left - I will run into them. I like to ride on the trails up here. I have a 10 mile course I have figured out and I have to share these trails with others. Which I think is rude - don't they know who I am? :) I try to give plenty of warning as I ride up on someone - "coming on your left" I call out. Then the person jumps a little and moves over to their left - then figures out - no - they have to move to the right for me to pass on the left - so they move over. Some just jump and stop. Some turn around and jump. Then there are people out there who have ear phones on and can't hear anything except their music. These people should be out on the road because they bug me. So far I have missed everyone but there have been a few close calls.
Next - dogs. Enough said.
Then there are trail hazards. Like new, deep gravel. No warning - wasn't there yesterday - "Oh yea-they put that down yesterday" gravel. I am surprised at how hard it is to ride a bike in deep gravel. Miscellaneous large stones are a surprise also. I really don't know how people with skinny tires ride without falling down.
My favorite hazard - sprinklers. At least they don't hurt. Sometimes I take the challenge and try to continue down the path slowing for one sprinkler and speeding up to beat another and then I just give up and hit the road. Watching for those big cars of course.
One thing I never would have thought of - squirrels. You know when you are in a car and a squirrel runs out in front of you - stops in the middle and does that - "do I go on or go back" dance? In a car I always yell at it to go on and hope for the best but on my bike.....If that squirrel chooses wrong and I hit it.....that would be one for the squirrel.
Head wind. Oh my goodness! I have a hill that I go down and I hit about 21 mph. Who needs Silverwood when you have that? But when there is a head wind, I am slowed to 14 mph. Now I know I am not a small person but that is just an insult. I also enjoy a tail wind but I always think that I am getting stronger and going faster or doing a stretch easier until I turn around and now I have a head wind. Oh, as I huff and puff my way back.
But summer is almost over and soon I'll be back to "Curves" working out with 80 year old women feeling like I'm in pretty good shape - until one of those ladies beats me in number of sit ups. But I can still get off the floor faster.
3 comments:
That was a pretty funny post!
i like it, i can just see you thinking the same thing about bike riders if you liked to run or walk ;)
Biking is a lot of fun and great exercise. I'm glad you are staying fit :)
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