Joy Ride

I took my bike out for a spin again the other day. This time it was less reflective and introspective and more of a joy ride. There was rain approaching, so I kept close to home. The humidity was thick and the air moving felt good as I pedaled. We have hills no matter which direction I go. I got caught up in some downhill glee and “whee!” and also some “no hands” on straight and flat stretches. I started to hear some rumbles of thunder and headed for our garage just as the first big drops of rain began to fall. Just a playful 59-year-old out for a bike ride, wise enough to not get soaked and to avoid slippery conditions.

The joy and play brought back memories of the bikes we had growing up. There were more kids than bikes, so we learned to share and wait. The prized bike was a purple one with a banana seat, sought after by several siblings. We took turns, fought over it, sometimes shared a ride. We had another bike–older, white with aqua-blue accents. That is my memory anyway. There are no photos of either bike as far as I know. Just mental pictures. Come to think of it, mental pictures are easier to find anyway.

The older bike had a wider handle and a flat rack on the back. I think we had six or seven of us on that bike at the same time a few times. I’m guessing we didn’t get far, but we had fun. One or two on the handlebars, one on the crossbar, a couple sharing the seat, and 2 or 3 positioned on the back. We were all perched precariously, and maybe only rolled a few yards before some kind of upset. It was a good show of cooperation and problem-solving–not always what we were known for. 

Our driveway was gravel, leading to a stretch of gravel road going both directions at the end of that driveway. We were always biking on gravel. Which meant we were also taking tumbles and picking rocks out of our knees. I have a few scars to show for those reckless days of youth. I bear them proudly.

Good memories brought forth by a little joy ride decades later. Go find some joy today. Or sit and let it come to you.

See you back here in a couple of weeks. Have a good day, moment by moment, hour by hour.