by Coleman Wigger

Created on: July 20, 2009

I guess I have enjoyed biking since I was a small child. I remember when I got my first bike. There was such a thrill inside me that it busted out with excitement. My parents were happy to see the look on my face. The first thing I done, after my dad and mom showed me how to ride it good, was go showing it off to my best friends. Of course they all liked it too. It was one of the best gifts I received that Christmas. Actually one of the gifts that lasted longer than a year.

As I grew older they would buy me larger bikes as I needed them. I really did enjoy riding my bikes all over the neighborhood with my friends. We would play cops and robbers. Or act like our bikes were starships. Sometimes we would even try tricks with the bicycles. Me being clumsy that usually meant some scrapes and bruises. My bike riding was a lot of fun even with the falls.

When I became an adult didn't slowed down all that much. I still tried to get as much riding in as I could what with work and all. The thrill of riding was not the same as it used to be. I like it now for other reasons. Then I rode for the fun and games. Make believe worlds I could go to and everything. Now I ride bikes for health and exercise mostly. Every now and then I get that old playful feeling inside. When that happens and no one is around I just let loose and ride like the wind. Until I wreck my bike of course. The kid underneath disappears sometimes but the clumsiness is always around. After the falls I don't get up as quickly as I used to either. I look around with a little embarrassment now too.

Now that I am in old age my hands tremble some and joints tend to hurt. Yet even with these pains I have I still pull out the old bike and go for rides. Well I say rides now its called slow pedaling. As I stroll along on my bike I take it easy and don't travel as far. I need to take my rest stops more as well. The excitement of the ride is still here. My body may say stop riding but my soul says never. I will try to ride till my dying days because this is something that I really do still enjoy.

To all of you that love the rides as much as I have and do just keep it up. The thrills may change or even fade away. But the health and benefits will remain. So whether you ride fast or slow I hope you enjoy riding as long as you can.

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