These days, biking seems to be on a resurgence. So many people are quickly taking to the sport as they come to appreciate the activity's benefits - getting fit while traveling. I am reminded of these as our nephew is planning to live with us in Marikina in case he passes the entrance examination to UP in Diliman. And if that does happen, I was greatly hoping that I could take him on bike rides around the city provided that his dad gets him a bike..
I remember learning how to ride a bike as a kid. It was tough learning how to balance at first but later on as I got the hang of it, I was soon on the roads with my brothers zipping in and around the neighborhoods in our area. I didn't have my own bike at first. I would only wait for when my brother's bike would be free before I would go out with another of my brothers. And diven that there were 5 of us brothers and only 3 bikes, I would often end up riding shotgun or "angkas" if I didn't want to be left behind on a ride as I was too small to ride with me when I was driving the bike.
My parents bought me a bike at Christmas and I was so delighted to finally have a bike of my own. But only two days after Christmas, my bike was stolen. It was never recovered. I felt so bad that I vowed to save up as much as I could to build myself a bike. It took me two years to finally save up enough cash and finally finish building a bike for myself. I learned a lot on how to tinker with that bike. And it got me started on the path that I am on now.
More than two decades later, I am back on the road riding my fourth bike which I named "Lucy." I've sold off my fifth bike "Pirate Jack" and am thinking of what bike I will build in the future.. I really enjoy biking. It trains my body and I get to go places on my own power. It's liberating and empowering at the same time to be able to go to places you don't get to visit every time.
I wonder if I'll still be biking when I'm older? I sure hope so! =)
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