Since I was in high school I had dedicated my summers to learning a new skill. When I was a junior, the skill I wanted to learn was jumping in the air and clicking my heels. After I mastered that, I moved on to something I'd always wanted to do: ride my bike without using my hands.
I spent several summers following my senior year in high school working my hardest to accomplish this feat. I am not terribly good at balancing, and the best I could ever do was get about 3 pedal pushes in before I either hit something or fell over.
About 3 years after I had been working on my balancing act, I went to Huron County to stay the weekend with my friend, David, and his family. He and I went out one day and rode his parents' bikes around the town. We were out on the country roads, and his mother's bike was incredibly balanced. I slowly lifted my hands off the handle bars, and successfully rode for probably about a quarter mile! It was probably one of the greatest days of my life. I had accomplished my goal! I could not wait to go home and try it again on my own bike.
Until I got home and tried it on my own bike, and could not do it anymore! Devastated and defeated, I continued pouring my summers out trying to learn to ride my bike without holding onto my handlebars.
Sadly, this lasted another 4 years. 4 years taking us to last night. August 7, 2007. At Lake Hefner, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
I had taken my bike out to lake to ride around it. I rode around it once, and coming up to the last 3 miles of my second lap, I started to get tired. I sat back up on my seat, and cautiously lifted my hands from the bars. I pedaled, and pedaled, and was still up! I was riding my bike without using my hands! I started to relax, and the path started to curve slightly. I shifted my weight and successfully took the curve. I started laughing, and clapping my hands. I looked at the miles markers as I rode past: .5 miles! I could not stop giggling, I was so excited! I yelled (embarassingly loudly), "I'm the greatest person in the world!" as I rode past the stake marking my 1 mile accomplishment.
I lowered my hands to the bars so I could stop to cross a driveway. And just to make sure I wasn't dreaming, I lifted them of again. I rode in front of the lighthouse. I rode around the curve, in front of the restaraunt. I rode past people jogging, rollerblading, walking their dogs, laughing and cheering the entire time. I am pretty sure I am officially a no-hander-bike-rider! Just like I've always dreamed!
It only took me 7 summers of trying. And I finally got it! Perseverance pays off, my friends. Now my next goal? I've sortof always wanted how to learn how to do the worm. I've got 2 weeks of this summer to get started! And I'll keep you updated! :-D
Hopefully this time it won't take me 7 years!
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3 comments:
I learned this feat early...
It has to do with your bike mroe than you, that is why you were able to do it earlier on that other bike...
But congrats anyway...
Just be careful... I got pulled over by a cop at 1 in the morning coming home from my summer shift work job and he told me if he ever saw me do that again he would give me a ticket!!! get a life, dude...
Nice Kari! I finally learned to do this in Germany a few years ago. It took me a couple of tries, but I eventually got it. I agree that it has a lot to do with your bike, more so than your coordination. If you have a pretty sturdy bike, then it's way easier. Way to go, though!
I could go on a full bike ride (turns and all) as a young preteen without hands. However, when trying this again as an adult I haven't been able to do it. I'm glad to know from your story that it is possible. Grown ups can do some things that kids can.
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