Today was my first date with my new bike! I say so because I have not spent that much time biking ever. It all started when I walked into the bike shop inquiring about bikes, and the best one that would fit all the list I had in mind. “I want it feminine” “Good for biking in the winter!” “With a basket” “within my budget” and finally “suites my height!” The sales man was trying to be really patient with all my wish list, and of course trying to hide a big laugh when I said to him “I would like to try biking during the snowy weather!”. Anyhow, I ended up actually buying a bike, a cute one but not too cute, a strong one but still feminine, within my budget but in fact exceeded it a little and of course I can use a basket in there! Suddenly a wonderful idea came to my mind, turned towards my mother and said: I am biking back home!.. She reminded me how far is home from where we are now while hiding a laugh. I was too excited and simply said “Never mind, I can do it!”. I texted my plan to my sister who, in her turn, repeated the same exact sentence mom said following it with a LOL. I replied: “See you tomorrow” My journey started from Port Credit and the finish line was home close to Derry and 10th line in Mississauga. For those who are not familiar with the area, I am talking about 21km, passing through different routes in a city that encourages cycling by providing special lanes for people like Us! After 10 minutes of my biking, a squirrel decided to jump in front of my bike and panicked me to the extend that my screaming probably reached finish line! I was not expecting this and he for sure was not expecting my reaction neither! Moving on, I think my most enjoyable time was when I went down the hill and could feel the amazing summer breeze tickling my body. I thought I was Meg Ryan in the movie “City of Angels”, but of course thankfully I did not really do what she did otherwise you would not be reading this! But after every “down the hill” there is an “UP the hill”. At first I kept encouraging myself thinking I can still go up biking, after reaching half way, I simply stopped and walked by my bike with pride!.. Seriously, that was a bad idea, don’t ever do that! While biking, I remembered my first biking mate, my lovely best friend Proshato. that was my first time having my own bicycle and a biking mate. But back then, we used to bike for like 2KM max and get tired, but of course that memory made me smile just before a group of flies decided to attack me! my face was like car shield driving on a highway, I could see them dead on my sunglasses and thank God I was wearing one! Approaching a big intersection, I was not sure I could still do it. I was getting exhausted and thinking “What on earth have I done!”. I looked around me hoping that i could find a bus stop and sadly at that road there was none, So, I went back to the original plan: “I could do it!!”. The amazing view eased my pain, but never took it away especially that I was wearing tight jeans. Suddenly, I passed by trees that were full of some kind of fruit, and my bike wheels were crushing some of those fruits that fell on the ground. I was not sure what it was, but I stopped to check it out and and tasted somehow like apple but the size of a cherry!. I started collecting some from the ground and thinking: “that would be a nice surprise to take home -if I ever arrived!-“. Doing that made my shoes super slippery and I was cursing myself for doing so, maybe I should not have done it but that fruit was yummy and I am happy I did. 30 minutes later, I stopped again in Streetsville hoping for a bus to take me home, I was so tired and sweaty and my jeans were not helping, neither was my handbag. Yes that was with me too! and again there was no bus passing by that area that could take me home… thinking again “What on earth have I done!”. I was getting closer to my goal when I had to stop and walk with my bicycle many times either because of the up the road issue or because there was no bicycle route marked! I thought I am going to complain tomorrow on behalf of the bikers!! Getting closer to home made me feel good about myself. At this point, there was no point of taking a bus because simply, now “I could do it”. Reaching to the 10th Line, a silly idea came to my mind to take a shorter cut and be smarter than the map! Again don’t ever listen to pop-up thoughts when you are so tired and thirsty and sweaty! I took a route that wasted 20 minuets of my time and I was simply going around the area back and forth and back and forth and cursing myself for trying to be clever…. Google Maps knows it better! I finally found myself at the signal line just before our home, and as it was red I proudly sent a message to my family saying “open the garage”, I thought that would do! the moment i entered the driveway to our house, I could hear a background music and a choir singing “Halelouijah Halelouijah..” and I could see the finish line and the neighbours celebrating my achievement and fireworks started….. all in my head of course! I have challenged myself, and I have succeeded in reaching my goal, and now, I have taken painkillers, drank 3 litres of water and I obviously can not move my legs. But you know what, it was so worth it! ps. the trip should take 1 hour and 15 minutes, it took me 2 hours….. not bad for a beginner biker in Canada! *Special thanks to my lovely sister Diala for editing my article 🙂
