Day Two: Learning To Ride A Bike... Again

Sounds silly but now riding with clips I felt like I was learning to ride a bike all over again. I cleared all the cars out of my long driveway, giving myself plenty of "learning" room. Leaning the bike up next to a table I practiced clipping in and more important getting out! I learned the basics from Mr. Yeti but had never used it in practice. Push your foot forward to clip in. You twist your foot to release; or you fall over like a deer in headlights. Ok got it. It was hard to meet the cleat with the pedal, but a few times I started to get the hang of it. "Ok now lets ride to the end of the driveway." Talking myself through all of this. "Right foot... got it. Left foot. Clip dam you! GRRR." I did this for a half an hour or so. Each time I clipped in faster till it just happened on its own. Clipping in check, clipping out another story. Keeping the bike up right as I tried to twist my foot was more difficult than I though. Slowly I got the hang of that too. Clipping out with my right foot first was key, then I could stop, stand, and twist the left foot. By this time I was too excited, I wanted to go for a ride! It was getting late and I was still to intimidated for a real bike trail. So I decided a ride down to the beach trial would do for now.

Backstory: I hate crossing the street with out a walk light, even then I jog across. If some said a car was coming even if we were in the middle of nowhere I would double time it in fear of being ran over by the invisible car. So riding the couple of blocks to the beach down curvy steep streets scared me. But this is the new me right?! Ya that was the last time I would do that! This was no cruse down to the bar. Beach around sunset on Valentine's! What was I high? Valentine wasn't what bothered me it was the sheer volume of people I didn't like; cars, people, strollers. Too much! But once I got down there and started to peddle all was good again. The people just obstacles to get around, and I enjoyed the sunset just me and my bike.