Bike Date

After all the fun I had riding on the back of Lynn's bike yesterday I realized it was time to haul out my own and get riding again. There are lots of stories I tell myself about why I don't ride more often. These have to do with time and energy and my neighborhood (where the only way out is up). There's some truth to each of these but there's more, too. I really can only ride on the weekend because someone needs to stay with The Princess. And if I go for a ride when The Spouse is home then that takes away from the very limited time I have with him. So today I woke up and pestered him until he agreed to go with me and then got the boys to agree to watch their sister. It took some work, but I'm a champion nag and eventually I won.

He rode The Dark Lord's bike which isn't a bad fit now the the son is as tall as the father. He immediately began complaining about the seat but I just kept on pedaling. We went first to the library and then decided to ride further for a coffee. By the time we got near our coffee destination we were starving and changed plans in order to get a proper lunch. We sat outside, chilly and hungry and very happy. Well, I was happy. My husband was still grumbling but he tried to be cheery. Given that his idea of a perfect morning is more likely to involve a newspaper and a cozy house than a bicycle and helmet I think he was rather a good sport. I couldn't get over how cool it was that we'd taken our first ever bike ride together in nearly 20 years of marriage. I know, I know, kind of ridiculous, isn't it?

Our return ride was right into the east wind and not ideal, especially when there was nothing to do but ride in traffic. I wish there were more low traffic roads out of our neighborhood, but an interstate freeway and a rather large chunk of rock force us to use the higher traffic roads for part of nearly any ride. I don't much like sharing the road with speeding cars but my poor husband was quite worried. Eventually the shoulder widened out as we approached home and we arrived tired but quite pleased with ourselves.

When I asked if he was glad I made him go out with me he insisted I didn't make him do anything-- it was his choice. Fair enough--I hope it's a choice he makes often in the near future. because I can't think of a whole lot that's more fund than a cycling date with my sweetie.