I’m happy to report that Irfan and I had our first cycling adventure in the morning!
We left at about 9:30 am and there were barely any cars on the quieter roads. I’ve never cycled on the roads before, and I prefer easing my way into riding. Cycling on the quiet roads was a great confidence booster – and then I encountered my first uphill climb. OH MY QUADS.
That was a great way to figure out how to use the 6-speed Shimano gears.I was clicking frantically down to the lower gears when struggling uphill, and clicking back up to the higher gears when whizzing downhill. Am I glad my bike has great front and and back brakes. I actually flew off my seat when I jammed my front brake too hard. lol.
After the quiet roads, we rode down the cycle paths along the Pacific Highway and went up 2.2 km up to Artamon. We sat down in one of the parks in Artamon to cool off before we cycled back to Lane Cove. A cyclist whizzed by, looked at my bike, then smiled at me. Hee! I guess she liked my bike. It’s so cool to now be part of a cycling community, and I’m looking forward to attending events like Try2Wheels 🙂 Free bike servicing, woo!
Overall, I’m really happy with the 5 km that I cycled today. There’s a freedom and independence to cycling that I’m really enjoying. I recommend it to anyone looking for a healthy workout, and an alternative way of travelling. Here’s hoping I’ll be able to cycle longer distances over time.
For the cycling enthusiasts out there, thanks for stopping by my blog 🙂 I’d love to hear from you.
On another note, I’ve realised the importance of stretching after (not before!) my bike ride. I made sure to do some stretches when I got home, to help loosen up the muscles of my legs, lower back and shoulders.
On a writing note, I’m working on designing my book cover with my publisher. Stay tuned!
Raidah Shah Idil, MG Author 