The new freedom

I recently found out about a biking group in my area. Yesterday, they hosted one of the easier level rides and I decided to attend.

My husband switched baby-care shifts with me, taking River for the morning instead of the afternoon. And off I went.

One thing I really appreciated was that, although I normally breastfeed River in the morning, pumping was not an issue at all. I didn’t breastfeed him for several hours, I didn’t pump and I didn’t feel the slightest discomfort. Of course I don’t want to lose my supply. But it’s very freeing to be able to change my plans, to do what I not, and to not have to worry about something being attached to my boobs.

Anyway, the ride was great. I drove to a park about 15 minutes from our house, then we rode 10 miles to another small park, then back. It amazes me to ride through fields, past ancient decrepit houses and past a group of farmers hanging with a sheriff in a driveway. It feels like rural Iowa, but is so close to home. One of the funniest sites was an ancient house with more holes in the roof than covered spaces. It had wooden planks across the window and the faded beams looked like they had survived centuries. A plank across the front door read “Not for rent.”

The ride pretty much pooped me out for the day. But it felt great. I could certainly go 20 miles on my own but I wouldn’t have done it in two hours. It was nice to be part of a group and to have that pressure, enough to make me move faster than I would otherwise but not so much to be annoying or painful.

There have been periods in my life where I went for a full-day hike or bike ride once per week and that always seemed to be good for me. It helped to make up for missed workouts or excess treats during the week. It’s too bad the weather will soon be turning ugly (we did get rained on during the last 10 minutes of the ride), because I’m up for participating regularly. Hopefully I’ll get in at least one more ride next weekend.