This is the hill that Lisa and I dream of conquering....
This is sort of a mixture of a dream and working on my 1-11-11 goal. I dream of riding my bike up the hill where Hwy A and Hwy Z meet. That means "riding" not "walking with my bike beside me".
I have taken up biking as cross training for my race (which is still yet to be determined - I still REALLY want a Mickey Mouse medal but I think I will have to be content with a Donald Duck..) Anyway, I have kind of enjoyed biking, which is really funny. Growing up, if I thought that I hated running, I despised riding a bike. In fact the only time I ever remember being on a bike was at my grandparents in Kingsland, Tx. Me and my brother found this cool bike with a banana seat and it was painted like a flag. We would push it up to the top of the hill and coast down. That is my only memory of bicycling when I was a child.
Although,I do have some funny memories of bicycling after Rob and I were married. Atleast I think they are funny... For our honeymoon Rob and I went to Mackinac Island. It is a beautiful island that is full of history and beauty and the unique think is they have no cars of any kind. So the only transportation is either bicycles or horse and buggy. Well we thought it would be romantic to rent a tandem bicycle to ride around the island to see the sights. Rob was in the front and I was in the back with the camera. Well Rob had this opinion that if I am playing photographer I am not doing my job as a peddler...The last straw for him was when we were going up a steep hill and he kept saying that I wasn't pedaling. When in fact I was trying - honest I was. But the madder he got the funnier I thought it was and I couldn't quit laughing which makes it hard to concentrate on pedaling. By the time we made it to the top of the hill Rob was about to puke and didn't think I was at all funny. So as he stood over the bike talking himself out of loosing his lunch I had to snap a photo...That was the Last time we ever rented a tandem bike and we have been married 22 years...coincidence - I think not....
What brings this to mind is that now that I live in Richland County we are completely surrounded by hills. So taking up biking is no small endeavor for a girl from West Texas where the only hills are in the cotton rows. It is so flat that when Rob was in the Air Force his base was 30 min away and from my house I could see his water tower....FLAT I say!!! My sister-n-law Lisa (who is also from West Texas) and I have made a pact to conquer these hills together. Today we did 10 miles. At the half way point I understood Rob's nauseous feeling 22 years ago. I got to a point and I had to get off or I would surely die. I looked back from where I had been and the slope seemed to go on forever, which I was proud of but when I looked up to the top at where Lisa stood waiting for me on her bike I honestly couldn't decide if I wanted to puke or cry. I have run these hills but biking them is whole different experience.
We set a goal to make it up one certain hill without stopping. At this point I am a little skeptical but always up for a challenge. I will keep you updated but don't look for that post to soon.
Well my dream for you today is that when you are in the middle of a hill in your life, you neither puke nor cry but reach down and find the strength to reach the top. Have a wonderful day all.
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