The laws of physics, we all remember them from our high school days. Physics, gravity... a body in motion tends to stay in motion... what goes up must come down. Last Saturday, our 45 mile ride included route 219. I was actually excited about the thought of the hill, and I thought about how I was going to approach it, how I would gain some momentum at the bottom and when I would drop into my lowest gear, and how I would little by little keep myself going. They say that confession is good for the soul, well, then, I must confess. I have the confidence to know that I can make it up just about any hill that comes my way, but the thought of going down makes me really, really, really scared! While others may get off their bikes and walk up some of the hills, I am afraid I will be walking my bike down the hill!
I have been thinking that I am being irrational, and I tried to figure out just what it is that scares me. Is it the fear of being out of control, or not being able to stop, or of hitting some uneven pavement or crack in the road and taking a header over the handlebars? I have no answer.
The hill came into view shortly after turning off of route 20. There it was in all of it's glory. This devious piece of geography. Devious, because you go up and up and up, and then you think you are done and you go up some more. You feel like you are never done. I kept my mind busy by noticing debris on the side of the road. A beer can, a cigarette package, a stone, one thing at a time, just pedal to that next thing. Finally, after one last effort, I found the road and myself going down. I have to admit a few expletives went through my mind. I don't think I said any out loud, if I did, please forgive me.
One cycling friend told me to sit up, that it would slow me down. I did that. My massage therapist told me to channel my inner 12 year old, I tried to do that. I tried to call out the girl that used to love to take her Flexible Flyer to the sledding hill, or the 14 yr old that used to run her horse at a full gallop across the hay field. Where was she??? Where did she go??? Helllloooo inner child, come out, come out wherever you are! Nothing. Typically, I try to repress my inner kid, keep her in check. I really have tried to mature over the last few years, I have decreased the frequency with which I play practical jokes on my co-workers and we won't even talk about some of the pranks I have pulled at Tyler's baseball games on the other parents. Now that I want that kid to come out and allow me to go down the hill at breakneck speed, I can't find her! I took it easy, I played it safe. I stayed within the comfort zone of the 'mature' adult that I have become. While I didn't get off the bike and walk down, I surely didn't let my little bike computer get up much over 24-25 mph. Pretty good I thought, until I hear "on your left' and zoom and then zoom again. I guess Jen and Ev sure don't have a problem finding their inner kids. Despite my slow and controlled descent, I am thrilled and proud that I made it up the hill without stopping. I kept my pace, and my oh-so-slow cadence. My strategy for going up was a success, my plan for coming down, while not exactly perfect, did help my confidence. Maybe with our next ride, my inner kid will show up and say "Wheeeeeeee" as we fly down a big hill.
A special thanks to our road angels! And a very, very special thanks to everyone who has contributed to my fund raising. The many people that stepped up have touched my heart!
thanks!
Karen
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