Crash landing or Flying?

I went single track cycling Sunday and I bailed hard! I suppose for people who are hard core mountain bikers my fall was minor but for me it shook me up pretty good. I went from sitting on my bike to doing a belly flop into some silver willows! I looked around to be sure no one saw but in the back of my mind wished someone had been there to make sure I was ok. I quickly got up, found my bike, twisted the wheel back in to the right position, brushed the remnants of the willows and grass off my shirt and walked back up the hill that I had just gone down to enter back in to the world of paved pathway riding. I felt something dripping down my nose and was really relieved to realize it was just snot! Whew! I figured I had faired rather well after my second crash ever on a bike since I was a kid. The first one was when I thought about commuting to work on my bike. I had never jumped a curb in my life - I was a farm kid we didn't have curbs and I figured it couldn't be that hard to do so I tried jumping a curb for the first time while I was riding down a hill going who knows what speed... yeah... I'll let you imagine the outcome of that fall. Is it necessary to say I never did start commuting to work and I still don't like riding in traffic? Anyway, back to Sunday's bail...

I was pretty shaken and on Monday I hurt pretty bad. I figure the handle bars hit me in the gut, my forearms saved my face from the willows, and my shin took a beating from the pedal but aside from that all is good! I went to see a doctor and a chiro just to be sure my innards were all still in one piece - "Looks good." they said as they chuckled with me about my adventures. Honestly I think both of them were rather proud of me for getting out there, being active and trying something new. My chiropractor also said, "It seems getting out there sure did something good for your spirits. Make sure you get back on that bike as soon as possible. Oh and by the way, you won't go over your handle bars if you sit back over your back tire when going down a hill. Oh and your seat should probably be lower than you had it." What??? Oh man, I have A LOT to learn but I'm excited about my new adventures!

I've discovered something about myself over the last few years: I love to try new things and I master very few of them. I also have discovered that I have always wanted to do these sorts of things. I have had everything I needed to mountain bike, ok maybe not everything but most of the basic items for years - I mean YEARS! My old bike was stolen in 2000 or 2001 and I bought the current bike I have for $600 right after that. I made sure I bought a mountain bike  - meaning it has front shocks. Before last year I probably rode my bike all of 10 times. I'm not kidding here. I probably rode that bike 10 times in 12-14 years. Sad eh? I almost sold it once but that didn't pan out - thank goodness!! Why didn't I ride my bike? I don't know, my butt hurt after the first time of the season and I got bored riding on paved trails? I honestly don't know why but I know I didn't get on my bike very often.

Last year I was introduced to the idea of mountain biking by a dear friend of mine. It is something he enjoys and he'd talk about it from time to time. He'd tell me I could learn to ride down stairs and jump over sticks and stuff too. I didn't really believe him until one day I learned to jump over a stick. I practiced on grass this time unlike my learning to jump a curb attempt. I still don't have the jumping obstacles skill down pat but I have discovered not all mountain biking requires that skill. It requires navigating narrow trails with curves and rocks and tree roots. The momentum of the bike actually has been taking me over most obstacles without too much issues. My friend had told me that too but I didn't really believe him until I tried it for myself.

On Saturday I spent 5min talking to myself about if I could make it down my first single track hill or not. I decided to risk it knowing that if I needed to I could always stop... although stopping going down a hill isn't always easy I decided to take it slow, not too slow but slow enough to try to remain in control or I would just grab a tree and hold on for dear life as my bike slid down the hill without me - either way I figured I could risk this hill and probably make it out alive. When I got to the bottom of the hill I was ecstatic! I made it!!! I made it down a hill with roots and rocks and even a small stump I had to avoid and I didn't kill myself - SWEET!!!!! From that point on I rode all the little paths I could find. I wasn't out long but it was long enough to make me want to come back for more the next day. Sunday I found new trails with new challenges. Dips, rocks, roots and a 2x6 plank plus a few puddles I ended up walking around. I'd have to clean my bike if I rode through them! That's only part of the reason I didn't ride through them. I got stopped by that 2x6 plank and I figured now that I was already carrying my bike I may as well just try to walk around the puddles too. However, point is I realized there are a ton of trails out there that I have not discovered and challenges and adventures to be had! I have been in Calgary for 15 or so years and I barely knew you could do this sport right in the city! Amazing.

Ok, back to the lessons I have learned about myself over the last 24 hours. A I love single track riding. Sure I was only out for about 30min each time but I had a true blast. My past experience of only dabbling in hobbies suggest that in reality I will probably never be a hard core mountain biker. I'm just not that dedicated to it but I want to enjoy it. I have learned in life that we don't have to master things to get enjoyment out of them - in fact sometimes I think we are better not to try to master something because when we do it becomes work and work isn't always fun. I'm not saying people shouldn't work at their passions or want to master something they love all I am saying is that it's ok if you don't master everything you do and you just enjoy for enjoyment's sake.

I'll be hitting the trail again one day, I might just get back on my bike and do a path ride to start but I suspect those single track trails will be calling my name soon enough because honestly - way too much fun not to see what is down the next trail....

Living Life

I had an epiphany this morning. 

You know how parents (and non parents) criticize each other all the time, always judging always thinking 'their' way is better or parents are hard on themselves because they think they aren't doing a good enough job by doing the best to raise their children? It's no different with the single life.  It doesn't matter what I say or what I do I am never living my single life well enough. I get told things like, "You need to enjoy your single life stop wanting to find someone." or "You should date more." In case you were unaware those two statements kind of contradict themselves. 

It's interesting how we all judge each other's lives so much. I do it too, I'm not saying I am perfect here. I think I need to just live. Yes sometimes I'll whine because I'm single but I often choose not to brag about the fact I got to get up in the morning without a baby crying and I am going to spend my day the way I want to with no one asking me to do anything... honestly, pretty much no one will ask me for anything today. I'll go for my bike ride or hike, tidy my house, and get ready for my date tonight - I will pretty much do anything I want today with no one needing me to take them to the potty.... yup that’s my life. 

I don't often shove my freedom in people's faces because most of my friends can't do that kind of thing and I know they wish they could. I wish I had a husband who loved me and a baby I could hold and love but I know there are hard times of that life too. It’s just life. I’m tired of constantly being judged, and probably mostly judging myself, for not living my life the ‘right’ way. 

Having said all that... off I go to enjoy the life I have been given and am choosing to live. 

Have a fun day everyone no matter what you are doing - no judging allowed!! 

:)