I FINALLY DID IT!

After much talk about how I had to get my bike repaired and road ready, I took it in on Saturday after our walk at Earlywine Park.  I got it today after work and went for my first ride since 2006.  I rode 4 miles.  That wind was a killer but it felt so great to ride again. I forgot how much I love riding my bike.  I was all over my housing addition.  I can't wait until tomorrow when I can hit the streets again! I feel renewed and energized because I have something back that I really love and really missed!  BTW... Read Harris2's post if you want to hear a really entertaining story for biking in our Oklahoma wind!!!   ALSO...IF YOU ARE A BIKER AND YOU DO NOT WEAR A HELMET...PLEASE THINK ABOUT IT.  I HAVE KNOWN TWO PEOPLE WHO WERE JUST RIDING CASUALLY IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD WHO WERE HIT BY A CAR AND ONE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED...NOT WEARING A HELMET. IT TOOK HER MONTHS TO RECOVER.  THE OTHER ONE WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED BECAUSE HE WAS WEARING A HELMET.  HE IS AN AVID RIDER AND LEARNED LONG AGO THE IMPORTANCE OF SAFETY.  THEY TOLD HIM IF HE HADN'T BEEN WEARING A HELMET HE MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE BRAIN DAMAGE FROM THE IMPACT ON HIS SKULL.  SORRY TO PREACH AT YOU FOR A MINUTE...I JUST COULDN'T HELP MYSELF!!  I LOVE BIKING BUT I HAVE SEEN THE DANGERS FIRST HAND!  OKAY...OFF MY SOAP BOX NOW. YA'LL BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!!!  Diana

Way to go, Diana!!! I didn't know that you loved biking, too! How fun and congratulations on making *4 miles* your first time out. Literally, the first time I tried riding, I didn't make it around my daughter's block.

Thanks for the preaching. I never let the kids ride horses or their bikes without helmets. I'm getting one this week ... as a matter of fact, I'll try to go get one tomorrow before biking tomorrow evening. I lucked out on my first crash, but it's not worth risking what few functioning brain cells that I have left. ; )

Nancy, Thanks!  I didn't ride tonight though...darn it!  I worked until 7 and then had to go to the grocery store.  I have decided that the next time my boss takes a week off SO DO I!!! LOL!!!

Diana, we're off now to go buy helmets before bike riding tonight. : ) Hubby's bike from Day 6 (Journey model) came in today so we're putting the huge boxes in the car and going to put it together at our daughter's and go to Academy for helmets ... then ride.

It's windy again. : ( I think I'm also going to look for one of those bug nets that go over your head and helmet like bee keeper's use while I'm there. ; ) I'm not up for bug dessert 2 days in a row!

I had no idea they had bug netting for bikers!  lol!!!

Your arms and legs can take a lot of impact, your poor old noggin not so much.  I've never had a crash on the street, but I know of two times (at least) when mt biking that my helmet meant the difference between and ouch! and a trip to the hospital....and neither crash was all that spectacular or high speed-but it just so happened that my head bounced off a rock once and a tree.  Saved by a helmet-I got up and rode away from both.

If you are going somewhere after your ride, just put on a ball cap if the "helmet hair" bothers you.  As for being hot-the helmet keeps the sweat from evaporating-you actually stay cooler.

There can be hills-but around here, not so much, and a good trail is both uphill and downhill-the downhill is greatness!

Bikers legs are awesome-look at Lance Armstrong!

(When I lived in Dallas I volunteered to help out at some Mt Bike Races....marking the racer's legs was always a sought after job....LOL)