Well, Petunia now knows what she’s dealing with.  Petunia is my blue cruiser.  And we went out for a ride when I got home from work today.

The temperature was perfect, probably somewhere in the 70’s and there was a slight breeze.  Perfect bike riding weather.  I would take my familiar running route that would be at an incline all the wayl there, so I could feel like I was flying all the way back.  It was a great plan.

Seemed so simple.  And it would have been if it wasn’t for the back gate to our neighborhood.  On the way out, I realized that the sidewalk that bypassed the gate was all sharp curves and narrow.  Not a good combination for someone who has not yet mastered the turning radius of her handlebars.  But I made it through, only feeling slightly uncoordinated and thankful I hadn’t created a scene.  Should have known it was too good to be true…

The entire bike ride was beautiful.  The slight burn in my quads, the breeze seeming to cheer us on, the smells of people barbequing.  Relaxing and invigorating at the same time.  The goofy smile all over my face again. 

And now it was time to head back.  As I approached the back gate to get back into my neighborhood, I felt a small pit of dread in my stomach.  There were cars lined up at the gate, and I was going to have to navigate the small, curvy sidewalk with all of them watching.  Oh, the pressure!  I should have listened to the pit and stopped my bike and gotten off.  But no.  I had to prove I could do it.  Or not.  I made the first curve and slowed down for the second.  The edge of the sidewalk was right there, too close for comfort, so I turned sharply.  Too sharply.  I went off the sidewalk and felt the whole bike tipping sideways.  I quickly put my foot down and caught myself.  A sigh of relief escaped my lips….for about two seconds.  Then my foot slipped in the gravel, and as if in slow motion, I went down, down, down until I was on my hands and knees on the ground with the bike on top of me.  All of this with the audience of the cars at the gate.  Nice.

Determined to just get up and keep going I pulled myself upright and pushed my bike back toward the sidewalk.  Avoiding eye contact with any of the drivers I put my foot on the pedal and tried to recover my dignity by riding away.  But when I went to sit down, I couldn’t.  The seat had turned sideways. 

There are times when the dork in me is quiet and less noticeable.  Today was not one of those days.  I went down loud and hard and very ungracefully.  I came away with a bloody hand and arm.  Petunia came away with a crooked seat.  We were Dumb and Dumber in the flesh.  But we had fun together and went down together. And then we got back up together.  And I think I love her even a little more now. 🙂