If you believe in yourself, you will know how to ride a bicycle!

This little boy--and this little video--gave me courage to ride a (road) bicycle, 36 miles down the Oregon Coast. This is true despite the fact that I have previously only ridden vintage bikes and cruisers, where their baskets carry my school bag or groceries, and their high handle bars let me sit straight up. This is also true despite the fact that I have previously only ridden 25 miles in a single day, not even at single time.

The whole thing came about by a joke. Each day for three days one of the riders touring with S said he would be willing to trade me places. I.e., he would take my car for a day, and I his bike. Each day for three days I laughed it off. This time at lunchtime I said yes. We switched right then.

I was terrified--that a car would hit me from my left side or that loose gravel would make me wreck from my right side, of dropping down to one of the lower handle bars, down-hill's massive speed, the narrow shoulder with its beautiful, but treacherous heights, my inexperience in such conditions, or on such a bike. I didn't even know how to shift gears. S gave me lessons and encouragement, but it was not quite enough. At this point I was still afraid of listening to music, so kept reciting memorable lines from the boy's speech in my head.

At the end, I truly felt happy of myself.

Waiting for the cyclists to break camp-time.

Directly pre-lunchtime.

Post lunch-time.

Boom.