Wednesday, July 17, 2013

The Bike Ride

7am and your alarm clock sounds. You know you should just get up and do your workout for the day, but part of you decides to just lay there after you've had a few shorter nights of sleep. You wake up, have some breakfast, and after a while you decide it's time to get outside and do something for the day.

Watching some Tour de France the night before reminded you that you had intentions of taking a bike down the trail Omaha dad had told you about. You had started with a different bike one other day, but had some gear issues. Today is a new day, you have energy, and adventure awaits you.

You suit up in your exercise clothes and add some sunscreen. Then, you head out to the garage, check the tires and gears, and add some air. Helmet on, you make your way out into the driveway closing the door behind you.

Down the hill you go just a short ways to the spot where you can hop onto the trail. It loops up and around the neighborhood and as you cross over 144th St, you have entered new territory. You see signs for Standing Bear Lake. This lake you can see from up on the hill at the Omaha house. Your friends had mentioned walking around it, and that the trail does not loop all the way back around to the parking lot you first see.

You peddle on feeling good, energized, and alive. You announce your presence to pedestrians in front of you before you pass them by. Each time you coast down a hill you think about how you will be pedaling back up those. You take in the nice view of the lake as you round it, enjoying every minjute of it, sweat dripping down your face. You realize you grip your hands on the handlebars rather tightly (poor habit) and loosen them a bit.

You see a family fishing at a spot, then up a curvy part you find yourself at the intersection of Fort and 144th, familiar territory. At first, you consdier hopping back over and cutting through the Saddlebrook neighborhood, but no... you are circling back around that lake. That's what you came here for and you have more than time to do it. "It will be worth it, you think." You pass that same family fishing to witness grandpa reeling in a little fish as mom grabs her camera for some photos as the grandkids cheer for him. :-)

Back around you go and as you cross the far East end you find yourself looking up the hill across the lake thinking about where exactly your house is in the distance. That's where you came from, and that's where you will be returning after this great ride through some trees, around a lake, through some neighborhoods - all on a nice trail.

You think about how you may have to walk this one day to take some photos on your way back. Crossing back over 144th Street, you know you are almost back home. Up a little hill you are tredging, and then your chain drops. Haha sure... Almost home, and it drops. No worries. You hop off, put it back on, and continue you do.

50 minutes after leaving the driveway you find yourself back in the neighborhood that is currently your home. Sweaty and red in the face with legs that feel like jello but a BIG smile on your face. :-)


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