What’s a Gear Again?

Hola Bloggies:

Is it just me or is tri fever spreading around the blogosphere? Lately it seems absolutely everyone is participating in one triathlon or another!

I don’t know about the rest of you but I have a funny feeling I’ll never do a tri. Besides the fact that I’m not a fantastic swimmer I’m a terrible bike rider. No really. I grew up in Toronto – which is pretty flat. Consequently, I have no idea how to use the gears on a bike. Which means that if I encounter even the slightest of hills I struggle like woah!

Of course there was that one time I decided to throw caution to the wind and head out on a bike excursion. It all took place a couple of years ago. At the time I lived on Vancouver Island and decided with the boy (now the Fiancé) to board a small ferry to one of the Gulf Islands between Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia. Specifically, we hit up Mayne Island because we had heard it was the flattest of the bunch.

Sounds idyllic doesn’t it? It is!!!

On the ferry to the Island I couldn’t help but feel very proud of myself. This was relatively early on in my journey towards wellness so spending the day riding around an island was still out of my comfort zone. Still I wasn’t scared – I felt alive!!!

And then I got to the Island. Remember how people said it was flat? LIARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE WHOLE LOT OF THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the hill that greets you when you get off the ferry (photo taken on the return trip so imagine yourself trying to go the other way). Seriously!??! I thought it was a cruel joke! lol

But you know what? I walked the bike up the hill and promised myself that no matter what, I was going to have a great time. And I did!

The Island turned out to be nothing short of gorgeous! It was full of hidden little corners just waiting to be explored. A Japanese memorial garden, a lighthouse, a village, gorgeous vacation homes . . . it was the kind of thing you see in movies!

Sure it was hard. Sure it took us all day to cycle the Island. And sure I wove a little here and there while struggling on my bike (I’m not road worthy yet – only small Island worthy). But in the end I’m glad I stepped out of my comfort zone! I tried something new and made memories to last me long after I left the beautiful West Coast!

Do you cycle? Are you completely rubbish on the gears like me? Any advice to help me figure out how to cycle more efficiently?