Sunday, March 15, 2009

Bike ride/fiasco

As some of you know, Jason bought me a wonderfully nice bike for Christmas.  We got it out of layaway a few weeks ago, but the weather has been too bad to take it for a ride.  Well, yesterday it was finally warm enough to melt almost all the snow.  After running around all day with the kids, I asked Jason if I could take off for my first bike ride on my new bike.  I was practically bouncing with excitement.  I had been practicing on our indoor bike trainer and especially practicing clipping in and out (I have special bike shoes that "clip" in to special pedals on the bike).  I got the bike outside and tried clipping in on the grass, just in case.  Well, I apparently had not practiced enough with the new clips because I simply could not do it.  I fell over numerous times before finally losing my pride and fetching Jason to help me get on my bike.  He held the bike while I clipped in, then let go and I started pedaling.  I rode about 16 miles, the whole time worrying about what I would do when I needed to stop.  It was getting kinda dark and I saw a car up ahead (only about a block from our house) flashing lights at me.  I panicked because my plan had been to slow down and try to clip out on our front lawn again, so if I fell, it would at least be in the grass.  Anyway, I realized it was Jason and the kids in the car and I tried to stop, but did not do so correctly, and of course, crashed on the pavement.  I threw a temper tantrum (embarrassingly enough) and ripped my bike shoes off and walked home in my socks, walking my bike along side me.  Now in addition to having a sore butt and calves (from the workout) I have a sore elbow, knee and ripped pants from the wreck.  The worst part is my sore pride from my lack of clipping ability and my toddlerish tantrum.  Jason was shocked, saying he's never seen me act like that.  Oops.
Well, my good husband took the clips off his own shoes and his own bike and installed them on my shoes and my bike (I am more used to that type of clip, buy was stubbornly trying to use a "nicer" road clip).  Anyway, this picture is of me right before this whole fiasco started, when I was still naively dancing with excitement.
OK, so for some reason today it won't load my picture.  So, it will maybe be coming later.

3 comments:

Tiffany Unsworth said...

Hey Hope Family! It was fun to read of all of your adventures! You've had so many! From trips to schooling to fiascos in general! I can't believe Charley is crawling! Will be how I date back the time to when we were in Great Falls, because she was born when we were there! I hope the enrichment went well!
Love and Happier Bike riding wishes to you! Tiff

The LaDuke Justice League said...

Oh, how I can relate, those darn clips. But, hey, 16 miles, that's pretty great!

Marie said...

Oh Nicki, you crack me up! Sorry about the hurt pride. Wish I could have seen your tantrum. Now you can't expect your kids to not throw them! Miss you girl!