Lake at Papago Park in Tempe: home of the Tuesday night STP rides.My left hand is a little sore right now, but that is okay. It is to be expected. You see, I keep tipping over while I ride my bike and catching myself with my hand. Why, you might ask?
Well I finally did it. Last weekend I graduated to clipless pedals on my bike which for those who are bike illiterate means they actually have clips which hold your shoe to the pedal. It is unintuitive, I know.
I was a big chicken in transitioning to clipless pedals because basically since I started riding I have been rehabbing various major ACL surgeries and I didn't want to wipe out clipped into a non symmetric aluminum object and somehow rip another ligament. I do have bad luck you see. Now that I have realized that my knee is just broken all the time, this danger seems less calamitous to my heart.
And surprisingly, the transition hasn't been that hard at all. Not that I haven't had my share of slow motion tipovers in front of numerous groups of people who then try not to laugh (most notablity those nice St. Patty's Day revelers at the bar I rode up to last night). But as a whole, the benefits of climbing in those things outweight any of the negatives. It is amazingly easier. Now I just need to figure out how to get into and out of the climbs in a more expeditious manner.
Anyway, my love of biking just keep increasing with each skill I acquire and each moment I capture while doing it. I truly do appreciate the ability that it gives me to go on a relatively pain free journey out of reality and into nature. You always appreciate something more when faced the the possibility of losing it.
Well I finally did it. Last weekend I graduated to clipless pedals on my bike which for those who are bike illiterate means they actually have clips which hold your shoe to the pedal. It is unintuitive, I know.
I was a big chicken in transitioning to clipless pedals because basically since I started riding I have been rehabbing various major ACL surgeries and I didn't want to wipe out clipped into a non symmetric aluminum object and somehow rip another ligament. I do have bad luck you see. Now that I have realized that my knee is just broken all the time, this danger seems less calamitous to my heart.
And surprisingly, the transition hasn't been that hard at all. Not that I haven't had my share of slow motion tipovers in front of numerous groups of people who then try not to laugh (most notablity those nice St. Patty's Day revelers at the bar I rode up to last night). But as a whole, the benefits of climbing in those things outweight any of the negatives. It is amazingly easier. Now I just need to figure out how to get into and out of the climbs in a more expeditious manner.
Anyway, my love of biking just keep increasing with each skill I acquire and each moment I capture while doing it. I truly do appreciate the ability that it gives me to go on a relatively pain free journey out of reality and into nature. You always appreciate something more when faced the the possibility of losing it.
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2 comments:
Hurray!! You're in big girl shoes now too!!!
clips are awesome & those slow mo falls are ridiculous. i have several under my belt. after peanut comes- i wanna go on some rides!
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