Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Do You Remember Your First Bike?

Our Director of the High Trails Outdoor Education Center wrote this...

I’m 36 and I just bought a used bmx bike.  It’s a little outrageous…orange frame that reads ‘General Lee’ with orange spokes.  But it brings back great memories.

My first bike was a Schwinn Scrambler 33/33 bmx bike.  My mom ran over the handle bars with her station wagon that had the rear seat facing backwards in the way back, now my wrists have a strong click in the bones when I strain them.  We built race tracks all around the neighborhood, mostly in abandoned and unbuilt lots.  We spent all day perfecting jumps and riding whoopdedoo’s.  There were several yards and some wooded areas including a creek with a lot of frogs I could cut through to get to the track most directly.

A white Peugot 10 speed replaced the bmx as the main form of transportation during my teen years.  I could now visit friends all across town.  My sense for the geography of my hometown grew alongside an incredible feeling that bike gave me…freedom.  And that freedom is fun!  Whether your mountain biking a scenic double track or pounding the sandstone in Moab, bunny hopping curbs in City Park or saving the Earth by commuting to work, there is no other feeling in the world like riding a bicycle.

I invested in the new/used orange bmx because my 5 year old just figured out how to ride his bike.  We are riding companions, he calls me his wing man.  Bicycling is a fantastic way to connect with family and friends in the outdoors.  Aim for a destination, pack a lunch,  explore somewhere new.  Ride the same path at different times of the year to experience the contrast in seasons.  Learn some engineering and how to use tools by maintaining the bikes.  Build a bike from scratch by looking for used parts across town.  The opportunities for learning and growth with bicycles are endless!

1 comment:

  1. Nice! I love bikes for connecting with kids and friends in the outdoors and BMX's are so fun. Mine is bright green with pegs that my hubby got for $20 at a bike shop when someone wanted to get rid of it. I think it was a steal! Makes me feel like I'm super tough every time I jump down a curb! -Betsy S.

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