The Other Way To Ride

Before dating Ben, I hadn’t been on a bike in twenty years. Unless you count the time I was teaching Grace to ride without training wheels and I pedaled around on her baby bike for a few minutes. So what does Ben do? He puts me on a mountain bike in the middle of the woods. Not only did I have to remember how to maintain my balance, but do it as I navigated narrow trails between trees, through creeks, and over roots and rocks. I sustained a few scrapes and bruises on my first few rides, but I was hooked.

My favorite memory was last summer when Ben was encouraging me to jump a fallen log. He had taught me how to jump the summer before, but it had been a while since I’d practiced it. As we sped down the hill, we saw the log across the path. “You can do this!” he shouted back to me. “It’s easy! Just pull up on your front wheels, and—“ the rest of his instructions were lost as he hurled forward over his handle bars and landed with a thud on the ground.

Hitting the brakes and sliding to the side to avoid getting tangled with his bike, I quickly sprang to my feet. “Are you all right?” I asked, relieved when he burst into laughter. Because then I had permission to laugh too. He’d been preoccupied talking to me and failed to time the lifting of his front wheels correctly. He’s actually much better at jumping logs or plunging through ravines than I am.

Mountain biking is a perfect illustration of how Ben and I have influenced each other. He’s encouraged me to be more adventuresome and impulsive. And I’ve encouraged him to slow down and be more cautious. The results being that I have more fun, and he’s had less injuries.

For the record, I’m still resisting his efforts to buy clips for my mountain bike. I like the assurance of knowing that I can put my feet down immediately to steady myself when the bike tries to get away from me. I might be able to navigate the winding trails faster or jump higher, but I’m not ready to risk it yet.

I’m just thankful I have a husband who not only doesn’t mind that I enjoy playing in the woods and getting dirty, but it’s one of his favorite things about me.