7-11 ahhhh 15

Well in the past couple of days - since school has been out - we have taken a few bike rides. Real rides - not just the ones around the block.

Our first ride was through Ogden's River Parkway. We started up at the top - at Rainbow Gardens and rode until we could no longer ride - the trail was closed due to high water...meaning the trail and the river were one and the same!

See - one - together - trail and river!

When we came to the closed part there was a Bingham's Bike Shop across the street. Remember - I don't like streets - they have cars. But, I am feeling brave today and agree to cross a BUSY main street in Ogden.

My sweet hubby just rides right out and crosses - me - not so much.

It takes a few minutes before I am brave and then I go - off - across the street.

Made it.

Whew!

Feel quite proud of my self - after all - I just rode the farthest I have ever ridden and it was a breeze...

did I mention...

it was all down hill!

So, we go in the shop to buy a bell - you know - to let others know that we are plowing into them with our bikes if they don't move over. Bike etiquette says to let people know your intentions...I took that to mean "excuse me...passing on the left" others however, just plow over you and whizzzzz by! Hubby thinks a bell to ring will do the trick to at least help warn people we are about to "plow" over them. I still also say "excuse me...passing on the left".

So, we buy a bell.

He gets it on his bike -

I may or may not have pouted about this!


So, we leave and hubby decides to continue into downtown Ogden...you know...on the street with cars...and begins his journey.

ME - once again -

I am behind gathering together my nerve to you know -

ride in the street with cars!

We ride by the Ogden temple that is currently closed for remodeling...we ride around the construction to see what we can through the fence...which by the way...is not much.

Temple the way it used to look.

What it aspires to look like in the future!

We then ride through the downtown part and stop at a few stores and eat - outside of course - next to our bikes.

So fun. But now we head back.

It is at this point in the trip that I realize that we pretty much rode down hill the entire way. Really dear, we have to start at the top and go DOWN first?

But, we ride and pretty soon we are back to where we started.

I smile - a big toothy grin type of smile. I am so proud of myself.

10 months ago - this was just a dream

and here I am doing something I find a little extraordinary!

To me, I have conquered the world -

to hubby -

no biggy!

When we get home, I run to the computer determined to figure out just how far I rode!

This is big for me...I think 10 miles and hubby says 3 or 4.

Really? 3 or 4 is all I get?

So, I go to google and type in a few things and find out that the trail is about 3 miles down -

so that is 6.

Is that all?

I am proud of this...I WANT MORE!!!

So, I remember all the riding in the downtown area and put that in....SEVEN!

I take it...sounds oh so much better than 6.

Hubby argues...I make him agree that 7 is correct -

I prove it on the map.

He finally gives me 7!

Victory!

Then the next weekend our little bike trail is having a "grand opening" of sorts. The 4 cities that it runs through have all finally completed their part and they are having a celebration. So, we plan to go. Dogs, bikes, skates, kids, walkers, runners everyone is invited. So, we go.

Hubby wants to know how far I want to ride...I say to Hill Field Road...I saw a new crossing light for the path...I want to say I have crossed there. So, we begin our ride. Newspaper picture of new crossing.

Wait...I forgot to mention something here. Last night we were at Costco. They had hydration packs - I think I might want one...the pink one to be exact. But...hubby says it is to small. 1.5 liters is not that much water for the adventure we want to do this summer.

Lovely Pink! Still at store for someone else to have...

I get a better...bigger one that is blue. Plain old boring blue. But, I am happy.

Okay back to the ride.

As we are preparing to go, hubby suggests we take the hydration pack.

Really? I don't.

Do you want to know why I don't? Well, I am going to tell you whether you want to know or not! I don't take the pack because I don't want to look "dorky!"

Meaning...I don't want to be judged as...

a too old...

too large of stature...

too "are you kidding me - what were you thinkin?" type of person.

I still wage this war in my head of who I have been and who I am trying to become. They just don't match...yet...and so NO water!

DUMB!!!! Really dumb!

Thankfully the organizer of the event realizes there are "dumb" people like me and they have bottled water and snacks along the way. And I drink 4 of the .5 liter bottles...so once again hubby was right. (And I now look forward to using that blue bag). We rode to the street I wanted to go to and I had so much energy still we got off the trail and rode to one of our favorite nurseries. Looked around and decided we needed to come back with our car to buy some flowers from the nursery.

Speaking of dumb...yes they say the trail is complete...but really? You have a "NO trespassing" sign and a fence AND a trail that is advertised as complete...so we did what the police officers also did, go down to the right and through the fence and over the tracks and through the other fence and up the hill and back to the trail. (I did just read that someday in the future they want to put a bridge over these tracks!)

Well, the total was just over 15 miles - I am on cloud nine - this is just so much fun!

We decide to go to dinner at a restaurant up Ogden Canyon. One by the river we found that we like to sit by the river outside and eat. It is the perfect ending to a perfect day. Oh and we stop by our other favorite nursery and buy plants for our garden.

Oh...and I got my own bell...one that hubby bought in France years ago that he remembered he had...that is why last week at the bike shop...HE got the bell!

He knew he had one at home for me!

Lucky for him...

I love this new adventure of a life I am finding!

PS -I have tried for a week to fix the spacing on this post. So you are going to have to let it go...I know I am...well...maybe...sort of...ok. ok. ok. I am sorry!