Side by side the list of "CANS" is much bigger than "CAN'TS"!

     Life may be complicated, but I have to admit, one of the easiest things to do is make up excuses.  Too hot, too cold, too dark, too light, too heavy, too far... the list goes on and on.

     But this weekend I was going to get on my bike, come hell or high water... Luckily I only had to face the latter:)

     The funny thing about me and excuses is, I anticipate a possible excuse, and execute my back up plan, just in case I decide to play that card.  

     Last Saturday was cold and rainy, but I was confident Sunday would be the day I rode.  However, Sunday morning I got up and saw the raindrops hitting the puddles from the downpour the day before.

    But I told myself I was going to ride, and I meant it!  There were a few of us that planned to ride, weather permitting, but in the event we all came up with the excuse that it's too cold and too wet, I knew I better do my workout just in case... and so I did...

     The plan was to meet on the other side of the Maumee River, just outside of Downtown Toledo; at international park.  As you'll notice, when I arrived I could see a million reasons why I didn't want to ride.  It was 53 degrees, cloudy, and puddles everywhere. Okay, so maybe not a million, but enough to present my case:)

     If no one else showed up then I was home free, because I know riding by myself isn't safe; that's just silly!!

     But it wasn't long before my first riding buddy, Robert, came riding up. His bike is his usual mode of transportation, in spite of his MS. He also rides on team Leapfrog, and even further than I do. Robert proceeds to tell me he had three others who decided it wasn't a good day to ride.  But I was there, so I figured I may as well do this.

     As I was feeling pretty proud of myself, riding in spite of already working out that morning, all while inside a body that felt like cement, because of my MS,  (damp weather does that to me) I became humbled very quickly when I started thinking about all of the excuses Robert could have made up...

                              

 He rode his recumbent bike through downtown Toledo, as I pulled up in my car. 

        He modified his pedals on his bike to fit his bare feet, because his MS causes him to not feel them with his shoes on.  And just recently he added this AFO device to his right pedal to keep his foot from slipping off.

          If I used all of the excuses I have up my sleeve of why I can't ride, I wouldn't have seen that this was a very pleasant day for a ride after all.  

          I mean, it isn't often you see the high level bridge from this angle.

     And it also gave us a chance to test our skills on this VERY tight corner...

     And it was fun getting a little history lesson in, as we rode past the Willis B. Boyer, that was docked on the Maumee river.

                         

       And I discovered the geese aren't just at Olander Park; I wonder if they're following me, just to see how crazy I can be.

     I want to tell them I'm not as crazy as this guy, who rides his bike in his bare feet through puddles and 50 degree weather... 

     But I guess it goes to show you... You can make excuses, or you can make it happen.

          So as you stare at that list of great excuses of why you can't do something... start making that list of all the things you CAN do... I think you'll see it's much, much bigger!!

Have a great day!!

Christine:)