This trail isn't big enough for the six of us!

     With the bike to the bay quickly sneaking up on me, I've started to realize, I just need to hit the trail when ever I can find the time.  Schedules with riding buddies don't always match mine, so Olander park, my safe trail, has become my go to.
                                   
     As you can see, the trail is perfect!  And an added bonus is, I get to enjoy all of the beautiful wild life while I ride.

     Remember a couple months ago I was so excited to see all of the baby geese... 

What a pleasant treat to help me pass the time.

     However, I had to realize those babies wouldn't stay little forever.  They were now almost half the size of their mother.  though every bit as cute as before.  I could just watch them frolic in the grass by the lake as I rode around it.

    Of course, these cute little creatures were also getting very comfortable with all of us intruders who invade there home from day to day.  They weren't about to let us alter their lifestyle.

     As you know all to well, you never brake for birds because they always fly away at the last second, as you approach them.  But not these guys.  They never even skipped a beat.  I found myself coming to a complete stop time and time again.  As I hollered "shoe!" They gave me a look as to say "you shoe; we live here!"

     They had a point.  I was encroaching in their space and I had to adjust accordingly.  I guess it's no different than my life in general.  When I get thrown a curve ball I just have to adjust and move on.

                     

      If I really want to live life to the fullest, I have to accept the changes; hurdles and all.

                        
 But I do have to admit, it is so much cuter watching it from the sidelines.

Have great day!!

Christine:)

If it wasn't for that voice in my head I may have never gotten back out there!!

     Well I spent most of the winter trying to solve the problem of my foot and pedal, and mid May is well beyond the time I should be back riding out doors.  I really needed a push to get me outside again.

     Truth be told, I was getting so comfortable with riding my bike on my nice safe indoor trainer, that I was dreading the day I had to get my butt back out on the road, and balance on my own.  It was a challenge in itself already, but add those new pedals and the anxiety took over.

     At this point I needed to either conquer my fear, or come up with a million more excuses why my indoor trainer was just fine.  Essentially, my trainer was glorified "training wheels".  There was absolutely no way I could get my foot stuck and wipe out. But I needed to just get it over with, even if it meant getting my first case of "road rash". I know the best riders kiss the pavement eventually.  But I wasn't in  the mood...

     Last Sunday was the pick day of the season, and weather was no longer an excuse.  So I took my bike off of my trainer, packed it in my car, and headed over to Olander park; my "safe place".

                                    

     I couldn't argue; this day was perfect!  and that park bench by the lake would be a great place to spend it, but my bike wasn't gonna ride it's self...

     I had everything I needed for a serious bike ride and now there was no reason not to get out there and do it.

     My first sign I wasn't alone was this frog on the garbage can.  And as you know, a frog is my guardian angel.

     As I pushed that new pedal for the first time, I began to realize I actually had this!  Now if I could just take a lap or two around this lake, I could get the feel, and then I could chalk it up to my first ride.  There's always next time for that serious ride:)

     But then that voice in my head just kept encouraging me to push on and before I knew it I had gone sixteen laps around that lake!  That's sixteen miles for my first ride of the season!  
                                  

     I guess I don't need that indoor trainer as a safety net after all.  I realize no matter where I am, whether I'm safe inside, or out on the the trail, my trainer is always with me!

Have a great day!!

Christine:)

I invite you to walk (or ride) a mile in my shoes:)

     Well friends, I may have actually done it!  I think I have finally found the perfect shoes!  Or at least ones that allow me to safely ride my bike.  Now, walking in them is a whole other story... 

     I look pretty confident standing here next to my cute little bike, don't I?!  Well, I get out on the bike trail and not so much.  But the one thing we know all too well is, this bike isn't going to ride it's self.  I needed to figure this out.  Fingers crossed that I did.

        As you remember, my first challenge was to get a pedal that would keep my foot on the pedal. Done.  Then I needed shoes that would slide in and out of the pedal in a seconds notice. I think I found them!

     They are in fact, slim lined, and as an added bonus, they're pink, which is my favorite color, orange,which is the color that represents MS, and the laces match my leapfrog jerseys!  I have it covered!

     I wanted to take a picture to show you how well these shoes work with the new pedals, but I have to admit, that ten second timer on my phone is clearly not as long as I would think... Seriously!?!?!

     But after several more attempts, and a little grumbling, I finally beat that crazy timer!

     it sure looks like it works now, doesn't it:)  Guess it's finally time to hit that trail!  See you there:)

Have a great day!!

Christine:)

You can run; but you can't hide

   You can run, but you can't hide... of course, in my case I can't do either:)  

     When I was first diagnosed about 30 years ago, MS was some mysterious, archaic, incurable, disease, not many had heard of, let alone understood.  When my doctor told me good luck and sent me on my way, I knew it was my job to bury it and  never look back.  After all, if I couldn't fix it, I didn't want any part of it.

     I knew there were groups that helped people "cope" with this illness, but if I attended a meeting it would only mean two things; one: I would surely be faced with my inevitably bleak future, and two: it would mean I've excepted that I actually have it. I wasn't ready to own it at this point, or ever.

     After many, many, years of hiding, I decided to give one of these MS groups a try.   As I expected, there were people ranging from no visible disability all the way up to those in power scooters.
                     

     What I didn't expect was the positive attitude the ones with the most challenges seemed to posses.  Why were they so happy??  They were robbed of their "perfect" life.  You would think that would make one very bitter.

     But as I continued to go to these meetings, I learned that these meetings were all about joining forces and helping each other over our hurdles; whether they were big or small, and find the good in the changing lives we had.

      For quite some time my sweet mother has been in the dark as to what I was going through, due to no fault of her own.  I was unwilling to admit to her that her daughter was "broken".  I decided to start taking her to these meetings so  she could finally have a better understanding of what I'm going through.  

          Five years ago I met my good friend Kelly, who was attending her first meeting shortly after diagnosis.  Ironically, she also brought her wonderful mom with her.  We like to refer to ours as the "mother/daughter table".  If I had kept running, I would have never met these awesome ladies!

     
     I don't like to think of myself as a slow learn, but after decades of going through life with blinders on I finally learned that "You can run, but you certainly can not hide!"

Have a great day!!

Christine:)