In the past, I’d ride aggressively right away in the spring. I’d be so anxious to ride after a long winter that I’d ignore the fact that I was out of practice and that I was unsure of road conditions. You’d catch me trying to drag my knee on every corner. Although I never crashed because of this, I did have some close calls. I’ve slid on loose gravel and sand, swerved around dirt piles, and braked in the middle of a turn to avoid obstructions.
This year seems different. I recently rode my favorite route that is full of beautiful twists and turns. I found myself taking it easy instead of going all out. It wasn’t something that I consciously decided to do, but as I approached corners I’d tell myself to hold back in case of any danger that may lie ahead. I still had a blast and probably enjoyed myself just as much as I would’ve riding aggressively. I’m absolutely going to ride this route plenty of times this year and now I know which corners still have dirt or gravel on them.
I guess it’s a sign of maturity which I’m bound to get with age. However, on the last corner of the ride, I decided to say, “The hell with it.” I approached this corner with some extra speed and leaned very hard through it. I didn’t drag my knee, but I leaned far enough that the toe of my boot dragged. This startled me, but I still rode through. My wife, who was on the back, berated me a little for this. Oh well, I’m not all THAT mature yet.
“Maturity is a high price to pay for growing up.” Tom Stoppard
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