An Evening Bike Ride- Epiphany #1

Have you ever done something that, physically, you didn't know you could still do? I had one of those moments last evening while Kiddo and I whizzed down shadowed streets on our bike ride. I let her lead, as we've done since our very first ride together. I'd come up beside her to chat when there was no traffic.
She took me to the southern end of town where there's a park she and her friends like to hang out. For a while now, she's been set on showing me a hiking trail at the back of the park. Thinking a trail in town is probably short and tame, I didn't think much of it. No need to be scared or timid, after all, we've hiked the Blue Ridge Mountains... how hard could a city trail be?
In fact, I was feeling strong, not winded, my legs weren't screaming... this 'ole gal was feelin' her oats. Kiddo led the way into the park and out across grassy slopes. I had a fleeting, "This is easier than I thought." When we came to the mouth of the trail, Kiddo hopped off her bike and I stopped behind her.
"Why ya gettin' off?"
"So we can walk."
"Is it that bad?"
"No. I just thought you might want to walk it."
She knows me too well. Bless her heart.
"Lets ride it."
"Really? Ok!"
She pushes off into the dense undergrowth and pedals along the four foot wide winding path. It's lit by lightening bugs. I am concentrating on the terrain ahead of my front wheel, but I'm aware that Kiddo glances back at me. No doubt checking to either gauge her speed to poor mom's, or see if she needs to stop and peel me from a tree.
I hear her chattering along, but I don't know what she's saying. Teenage prattle mixed with cracking branches and the sound of tires crunching over pine mulch. I'd forgotten how good those sounds were and are. And the smell. Hot summer-baked leaves and dirt drifting on evening breeze.
When we rode out the end of the trail and onto the grassy slopes where we started, we stopped and clucked about how neat is was and on the spot made a pact to do it again another evening.
Not too shabby for a city trail.
It wasn't until we got back home and we were relaying the ride to Daddy-O, that I realized just what strength and confidence I had in me still. Some part of me is still rugged and head-strong and a little bit prideful. Somewhere in me there's a lean person trying to come out again.
Leave it to a teenager to drag it out.

The Happy Medium
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