Don't say it unless you mean it:)

        I'm sure we've all had one time or another where we committed to something that in hindsight we asked our selves "what was I thinking??"  I seem to do that a lot!  but I'm usually too stubborn to let it defeat me.

     I'll take all the help I can get when it comes to living life, and though my brace and nerve zapper are actually a godsend when it comes to walking, the things I love the most don't require either of them to do.  When I ride my bike I feel like I am exactly the same as everyone else, so I long for the day I can get back out on it.

     Yes, I took my bike off of my indoor trainer in spite of Mother Nature and her silly games, and it may have been a little premature, but I told you I planned to be out on my bike over the weekend if I had to freeze in the process.  

     Well you should know by now I don't make claims unless I intend to follow through with them, and so I knew in my mind I was riding Sunday if it was the last thing I did.

     Earlier in the week, when I so confidently vowed to ride on the weekend, It was supposed to be in the fifties by then.  Of course, that all changed.  Sunday's projected high was now 42, estimated to peak right before the rain was supposed to role in, about four o'clock PM. 

     But when the day started out it was a mere 23, so we had some cooking to do before it was remotely warm enough to ride.  Just after noon it appeared to be as warm as it was gonna get before the rain would hit and it was only 39 degrees.  In my mind "cold" trumps "cold and wet" anytime, so I put on three shirts, bike leggings, knee socks, winter bike gloves and the warmest coat I could physically ride in, and set out to get this charade over with.

     But don't think I was heading out to some elaborate bike trail; that would mean committing to a ride longer than I thought I could do. 

     The perfect place to ride had to be Olander Park for many reasons... Number one, this park was my first true love, and as cold as it was outside I still felt totally warm inside.  Then being that the lap around the lake was only one mile long, I knew I was always no further than one mile from my warm car at any given time. And lastly, no matter how few people are there, I never feel alone.

     My goal wasn't going to be huge, I mean after all, I was out there, and that's massive in and of it's self.  One or two laps around was just enough to get my feet wet. I've been so desperately waiting to get back out on my bike and I have to remind myself that things don't always happen when I want, but when the time is right. 

   Yes, I was actually out there, like a fool, but what you can't see is every ounce of my body was frozen solid, yet it was so nice to be back there...

     The winter sure did set this park into a deep slumber.  You'll notice by this photo, nothing appears to be living.

        With all of the mounds and mounds of snow from this past winter the grass took a pretty heavy beating, and it will surely take some work to bring it back.

          Now remember, I said I was doing one or two laps around, however, the wind made it not only freezing, but it felt like I was peddling through oatmeal, so as the first lap was coming to an end I told myself "one time" IS "one or two", so that would be it for me.

     Just then I saw a couple more fools out walking, I'm guessing husband and wife, and I asked them if they wouldn't mind taking my picture for my blog to prove I actually got out and rode.  The man said "sure" and took the camera.  I told him I blog about my ride in the Bike To The Bay. He said "Oh, that would explain all of the pink... oh wait... that's breast cancer..."  I told him yes, but ironically I have that under my belt as well as MS.  He then commented that I was too young to have all that stuff going on... I replied "RIGHT?!?!". But here I am:)

     As the couple walked away I thought this wasn't like me to only do the bare minimum of a goal, so you guessed it... I made that second lap.   

     I'm really glad I went around once more; I never noticed this flock of geese the first time.  Proof spring IS here!

                                           

     As I got back to my car I thought to myself... maybe I could push the envelope and do one more lap and blow my goal out of the water.  What am I, CRAZY!?!?

     I got in my car and drove home:)

     If my arms were just a little longer I would have patted myself on the back, but instead I just gave the ole' thumbs up!!  Sometimes I just need a little reminder that if I hang in there and weather out the storm, eventually the sun WILL come out:)

Have a great day!!

Christine:)

Olander Park; no trail here, but It's a ride down memory lane

       

  It's true; Olander Park is by no means a serious bike trail, and comparatively speaking, it's probably one of the smallest parks outside of neighborhood parks you'll ever find.

     However, this little park, while lacking size and amenities, holds more memories than any park I know.  Back when my children were small we lived an ear shot away from this park in Sylvania Ohio, and it was a true gift every day when I took my youngest daughter Lindsay on walks there while her two older siblings were at school.

     She was only a toddler, yet our bonding time was that of two best friends.  It started out that I would push her in her stroller as we looped the one mile stretch that surrounded the small lake.  When we started bringing bread for the ducks that was the end of our power walks and the beginning of Lindsay's independence.  

     I remember pointing out the squirrels and geese along with many other objects of nature and felt so proud when she finally learned to repeat them back.

     When the stroller walks became mundane and we needed something else to stimulate the interest of this tiny little girl, that's when we decided to continue our journey by bike.

     Lindsay loved riding tandem, and what a life it must have been to ride on the back of a bike while someone else did all the pedaling.

     It was a bitter sweet day when Lindsay started school and I was left to venture this park by myself.  I no longer needed to transport a child so that was when I transitioned to rollerblading.

     When I felt like I had out grown this tiny park is when I decided to start roller blading the University Parks Trail,  and for many years I believed I would be rollerblading there for the rest of my life.  Sadly, my days of rollerblading would eventually come to an end.  But that didn't stop me, I eventually replaced the rollerblades with the bike again and I was back on the University Parks trail once more.

    However, the other day I decided I needed to take another stroll down memory lane and reminisce about some of my most  cherished memories of this iconic Olander Park.

     My intention was to go about five one mile laps around the lake and simply be alone with my thoughts.  As I made it half way through my third lap I noticed three park staff members doing some weeding and I figured I would ask them to take a photo for my blog.  After a few minutes of idle chit chat, which we all knew was par for the course, I was on my way.

     

     I had only gone two and a half  miles but I began to wonder if five times around by myself would make me go stir crazy.  I already had my pictures so anymore riding would simply be gravy.

     As I was riding past one of the parking lots, a lady got out of her car and asked me if I knew of any good bike trails.   Boy did she open up a can of worms.  I went on and on about  all of my favorites and I asked her to go to my blog and she could see some pictures of them.

     I noticed she had her bike in the back of her car and asked her if she was coming or going.  She told me she was just going to do a few quick laps around the lake.  Of course I asked her if she wanted company and  that five laps turned into 13 by the time we finished telling each other our life stories.

     It turns out she grew up in the same part of town as I did, went to the same high school just two years before me, we're both breast cancer survivors, we both ride a bike much better and further than we walk because we both have one pesky foot, and  if that isn't enough irony for you, the two of us share the same first name.

     It's good to find some one else who shares my passion in cycling and the only challenge is that she actually lives two hours away and travels between the two cities.  There's a reason our paths crossed so I'm sure we'll get together in the future.  I've said it a million times and I'll say it again... everything happens for a reason.

     Though my life journey has taken many twists over time, I often find myself returning to this quaint little park,  because no matter what life has in store for me, I always know this is one place I can go to find some of the best memories of my life.    

Have a great day!!

Christine:)