As I write this I have been now riding for a few weeks – a seasoned pro – and started quite by accident.  (How do you start riding by accident?  Do you fall on a bicycle and find yourself hurtling down the road? )  In an effort to spend more time outside and more time being active with the kids, Best Wife purchased herself a used mountain bike complete with a little 2-kid trailer.   She found this contraption in the online classifieds in the dead of winter with 12 meters of snow on the ground and sheet ice everywhere.  Needless to say she didn’t get a chance to ride it before money changed hands.

 It sat in my garage waiting for the snow to melt and I largely ignored it except to poke it with a stick now and again as it was imposing itself in my automotive escape.  When the snow had sufficiently abated, Best Wife pulled it out, dusted it off, hopped on and promptly discovered it was entirely too large for her.  An inspection revealed the presence of a “6’-6’2” sticker hiding under the dirt.  At 5’8” she’s not short, but 5’8” is not 6’.  So she did what any Best Wife would do – she gave it to me.  “Here” she said pointing at it, “it’s yours.  Doesn’t fit me.  I need to buy another one”.  Truth be told I didn’t want it.  I didn’t want any bike.  A bike without an engine?  That’s for leg-shaving, spandex wearing waifs, not an asthmatic, over-weight and decidedly un-athletic middle-ager!

I resisted any suggestion to ride until the pleading from the 6-year old was too much.  “Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease dad?? Please can we go for a ride? A short one, quick, just around the block dad pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese!!!!”.  How can I say no to such an honest and healthy request and still tell myself I’m a good dad?  I had no choice but to consent.  We went around the block.  Then we went again.  Then we went around a few more.  “This might not be so bad” I said quietly to myself. 

The following Saturday I snuck out without him to ride on my own for the first time in 23 years because I had a secret – I  liked riding this 2^nd-hand sporting-goods store special! That was mid-May and life hasn’t been the same since. 

Thank you Best Wife. 

In all her used glory