The Electra did it. I did my first bike ride for charity. My friend Suzanne works for Catholic Charities and put on a Cycling for Change. A friend of mine, Carrie, suggested we ride the 20 mile. Since, I normally go on rides around 12-15 miles, I thought, sure why not, sounds great. And then I saw the map of where we would be riding and became very nervous, and even a little overwhelmed/psycho about it. But I said I would do it, and so I would. I never do much street riding. Even around my neighborhood, I live on the Trolley trail and next to the Blue River Trail, so I don't have any need to get on the street much. And here I was riding 20 miles, all street during the day on Saturday in some of the worst neighborhoods in KC. It wasn't the neighborhoods or the traffic that I was worried about...it was the hills. You see, I'm not much of a hill person. I don't do them well, I'm slow and am usually hard of breath after I go up one. This ride was full of long drawn out hills. I need to preface the beginning with my frustration for the ride coming out on not being able to get my front tire on my bike. So the start of all this was a jumbled mess - not unlike any situation I've had with a bike (ie. smashed my last phone before a bike ride). Anyway, I got the tire on and changed my attitude and we got the show on the road, literally. The first few blocks were down hill and then we came to a hill, steep long incline of a hill. I got behind, couldn't breathe, was all around frustrated. I tried to shift and my chain fell off. Thankfully the Electra is a really nice bike and it was really easy to get the chain on. But then I had to get on the bike half way up the hill and start up it again. Huffing and puffing, almost crying, I finally made it up. My thoughts were final, I was not ready emotionally or physically for this. I could not do this. That straggler van can come pick me up! But my good friend and at that moment coach, Carrie, made me keep going. Even though in my mind, I was fine just making it to the first stop. I felt fine at the first stop (which was Grinder's). 
Ironically, I didn't know this was the first stop, I thought it was supposed to be a little later on at a community center. So went the community center came and went, the joke was on me. I found myself riding up another hill. Things went better this time. I had, what Suzanne called the sheparder, with me (and had from that first hill). She is a 'real' bicyclist. Anyway, she stayed around only as long as I needed her. A real guardian angel. After I made it halfway, she must have realized that I had the confidence to finish because she went on to do her own ride. I thanked God a lot that she was there for the first half that day. I'm also really thankful that Carrie was there cheering me on. More importantly, after that first hill, I was there cheering myself on. The scenery was totally worth it. The experience of urban street riding was worth it. Seeing my parents at the end waiting for me was surprising, but totally priceless. I'm adding a video on here that my mom took. She didn't know her camera was on video mode though. Anyway - it's me coming in from the ride. I look forward to many more rides. Charity or no charity - it's nice just to get out and ride.
