Freewheeling

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The open road calls.  I have a new pair of wheels.  It is a while since I rode a bicycle - my old one is pretty much clapped out.  After years of service it has finally been given the boot.  As I mount my new 'steed' I feel a little tremor of excitement and nervousness that shivers through me.  I wobble a little at first, apprehensive as cars drive past - too close, too fast.  But soon I get into my stride and remember the feeling of freedom and space as I pedal along - the leg muscles recall how it used to be and serve me well.

The test drive went pretty well considering.  I had to dismount once or twice while my beating heart settled into a steady rhythm after the exertion of the hills - but I managed to keep going despite the setbacks - it felt good to be back in the saddle again.

Hopefully I will become a familiar figure once more - pootling along the lanes on my mint-coloured bicycle - what larks!

It is curious that with the advent of the automobile and the airplane, the bicycle is still with us.  Perhaps people like the world they can see from a bike, or the air they breathe when they're out on a bike.  Or they like the bicycle's simplicity and the precision with which it is made.  Or because they like the feeling of being able to hurtle through air one minute, and saunter through a park the next, without leaving behind clouds of choking exhaust, without leaving so much as a footstep. ~ Gurdon S. Leete