Mom, I’ll be out riding my bike!!!

I used to love riding my bike when I was a kid.  I’d go everywhere I could on it – it was like my best friend. 

I saw this bike recently in downtown Salt Lake City.  It is identical to the bike I had when I was about 10 years old.

Frequently I would leave the house telling my mom that I’d be out riding my bike, and then I would ride, and ride, and ride some more.

This was taken on one of our scout trips riding home from Lytle Creek in CA.  I was maybe 14?

That was before the days of helmets and mountain bikes, biking shorts and Camelbaks.

I spent some time on a bike in Finland as a 19 & 20 year-old missionary and learned that bikes are fun in the snow too.

My wonderful wife, Wendi gave me a new bike for my 40^th birthday recently.  It’s impressive for the price – a hybrid-type bike – I’ll primarily use as a road bike.  I’ve decided that I’d like to be ready to bike Yellowstone next year – even if I don’t have the time to actually do it, I’d like to be prepared to do it nonetheless.  I’ve been out on it every day (except Sundays) since I got it, typically doing 4-5 miles.  I hope next week to at least double that distance and ride in the mornings instead of the evenings.

I kind of feel like a kid again – I’m looking forward to getting back to the point that I was when I was bout 10 years old, to be able to ride, and ride, and ride some more.  I’m sure I sound like a kid again as I leave the house and say, “Honey, I’ll be out riding my bike!!!”