Sunday, March 7, 2010

Hitting the Road

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The day of reckoning has arrived. I went out on two wheels.

In case you aren't from around here, global warming has kicked in in early March this year, resulting in unseasonably warm temperatures. Thus I really had no excuse except to try my hand at a ride outdoors.

Yes, a real ride.

I figured out a route about 8.5km in my neighbourhood. The good thing about living in Oakville is that it is very bike friendly. There are lots of trails in my neighbourhood around Sixteen Mile Creek, there are bike paths on major roads, and bike lanes on residential roads. This is very key for someone who is currently petrified of sharing the road with cars.

Aaron came by, as you can see from the picture above, in a ninja outfit that clearly left very little to the imagination. It was 11 degrees outside, just a beautiful day. I decked myself out in a very bright, fluorescent green sweater to ensure I could be clearly seen by other bikers, passing motorists, or large cargo planes flying overhead.

Aaron thought it would be a good idea to practise taking sharp turns in a school parking lot. Suddenly, it was like I was 16 again, during my first lesson in the smelly Hyundai Sonata of my Sears Driving School Instructor, Gill. I am still quite fat in this scenario and very much a female repellent.

We start making our way out of my subdivision, when we...well,I...come across a major obstacle. The bike path that used to run along Upper Middle road between Bronte and Third Line has been completely torn up for new housing construction. Our only option was to drive on the newly narrowed road. I started to hyperventilate.

I waited till the coast was clear, and started cycling hard, with Aaron close behind. I really was freaking out, cause there was almost no room for cars to pass us. They pretty much had to wait until the coast was clear in on-coming traffic to do so safely, and there was a steady stream coming in the opposite direction.

Everything was going fine, and I thought I was going to make it through, until I saw a massive Oakville Transit bus come barrelling around corner, right at me. Without missing a beat, Aaron yelled out from behind me "don't worry, just keep peddling!"

Those were much needed words of encouragement, as I made it past the bus, and through the rest of the ride easily.

It was a very motivating afternoon. It was pretty windy at times, which made it tough, but by next week, I should have my borrowed (not-a-girl's) road bike (thanks Carolyn), which should make things a little easier, if not terrifying.

It was also a great weekend for Aaron, who got accepted as an intern in Family Medicine with the University of Toronto. Way to go buddy! Now you can legitimately take a look at that bunion on my toe for me...

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