Watching for Dad to come by on his bike
It is now 3PM on a Saturday afternoon and I sit here alone writing this blog. Carl is out on a bike ride. It’s supposed to be 4 hours, but I have to remain flexible. He is alone, which always makes me very nervous. I much prefer when he rides with a friend, just in case…. I make sure he wears his ID, he uses the RoadID and puts it on his ankle, and has money and his phone. (Like sending a kid off to camp). We sometimes use an app to track him by GPS, but it doesn’t always work. I just read that RoadID has a new free app out that tracks people, so might be worth checking it out. I also have to make sure I’ve got a phone handy in case the bike breaks down and he needs a lift. (This is where the app comes in handy, because when you’re riding in the country, roads are not always clearly marked).
Unfortunately, bike riding is not without hazard. While many drivers are polite and yield the roadway, it’s not universal. He has been honked at and sworn at by more than one motorist (kind of wish he had kept that a secret). Then, there’s the distracted driver who’s eating or talking on the phone. We’ve had one friend who has been hit by a car, not once but twice. He broke his hip the first time and his neck, yes his neck, the second time and spent way too much time in ICU. Another friend literally hit a deer coming down a hill, broke his collarbone and had unbelievable road rash. So, my concern is not without merit. But, the deer incident is one that NEVER crossed my mind. Seriously, he hit a deer on his bike??!!
Most rides I’ve learned to occupy my time so I really don’t think about the potential for problem. It took awhile to find my routine, but I’ve now settled in and found peace in the solitude. Summers are better on the east coast as I can add outdoor activities to my options. I tend to have lunch with friends who work during the week, do the NYT crossword puzzle (Saturday and Sunday editions mind you), do volunteer work, or catch up on TV shows he could care less about watching. I have to say the one thing I do miss about in-season weekends is he doesn’t have time to go grocery shopping with me. How odd is that. It’s just always been one of those chores we do together and now I go alone. As Jodi says, our quality time…..
Yeah, he just got home. Whew or should I say ewwwww. Looks sweaty, very sweaty…….
All the best,
– SHERRY
If you liked this article, you may like these:
Sherry is one of the TriWivesClub and LifeDoneWell co-founders and contributes to multiple blogs. She is a former co-owner of the California Apparel News and had a career in the healthcare industry. Her passions include traveling, real food, the environment, and animal rescue/welfare. She lives a healthy lifestyle and has been a vegetarian since 1987. She and her husband are parents to two rescue pups and reside in Connecticut.
