August 2014 was a big month for me. All weekends were booked. I smile as I remembered a friend saying I was just like a celebrity, you need to have a scheduled appointment if you want to see me. 🙂
It was the second weekend. Me and friend Chie went to San Pablo, Laguna. I was seriously having doubts if I would be able to learn to pedal that very same day. You see, I am not really an active person. But I have always been a huge fan of sports like basketball, boxing and has become curious about wrestling ever since I was a little girl. Watching your older brother and cousin watch wrestlers wrestle each other would make you an automatic fan! I recall pretending as Hulk Hogan or Butterbean or Ultimate Warrior. There came a time that I was looking into buying an MMA and BJJ gear for a possible professional wrestling career. Humor me, please!
But Chie was nothing but all encouragement to me. I patted myself mentally as I tried not to panic. I remember saying to myself this is now or never. I need to master the art of biking asap. Learning to bike was very crucial in my travel plans for the later part of this year. So I drank in my friend’s enthusiasm. I will learn to bike. I will be able to bike.
After having lunch at our favorite hideaway, we went to the lake and chose one bike to rent. Was it normal to feel shy at not knowing how to bike at my age? We were sharing our private joke as I scolded my friend to not talk so loudly!
She chose a pink bike of medium height for me. It was cute. The decor on the saddle read Eco Pal. Yes, that pink bike became my pal for the next two hours.
I was glad that my friend was very patient in coaching me. She kept on pushing me to continue as at first I wanted to give up. It was very tiring and I easily got thirsty!My friend will not let up. She held my bike at the back while I was pedaling. We did this after a few tries and when she finally released me after the last, I found myself pedaling and biking all by myself! It was not perfect yet. I was forming the letter S all the way as my heart kept thumping against my rib cage, half conscious of any wandering passersby and cars that might roar by.
I finally got the hang of it after a few more sessions. My friend was like a proud mother sending her child off to her first day of school. She was all ears as she videoed my historical accomplishment.
As soon as I was confident enough that I could bike for longer distances. She rented her own and together we explored the 3.7 km distance of the lake. It was a very nice experience for me as we were not only having a great time bonding, I could also feel my body working hard after so many years of no serious physical activity.
After touring the lake for another round, we returned our two-wheeled buddies and had our snack. I was very happy for what I did. We already have plans of biking in Cambodia while exploring the temples of Siem Reap. But first, there in the not so distant future is my Batanes. Yay!
