Thanks to some awesome friends here in Costa Rica we now have a bike trailer to use on long rides with Shmitty. I needed to make a trip to Brasilito about 4 miles (6.6km) away and decided today was the day to test it out.
Let me just preference here and make note of the fact that my bike is a beach cruiser, modified but yet and still a beach cruiser. My son weighs about 50lbs and the trailer isn't far behind him. Oh yeah and I'm not an avid rider :)
So I head out and 10 minutes into this ride my thighs are burning and my back is beading up with sweat (wearing pants and a black t-shirt in Costa Rica). I push myself one mile. At this point I need to stop and take stock. My tiny little friend did this ride a few weeks back with Shmitty and her daughter and made it look like cake. She did have a mountain bike though. So I convince myself I'm no loser and readjust my plans to just ride a little further to check out this shop I have been wanting to visit.
Dig dig dig with my thighs and I finally make it to the shop. Just then this Costa Rican guy comes up from behind me on his bike and shout "se puede!" Pumping his fist in the air. He is struggling just like me, but seeing him and his enthusiasm made me pedal right on past the shop.
On this trip I learned two things not sure which is more important :)
First thing I learned was how to work the gear shift on this little modified cruiser. One I found "easy" gear, I huffed it out until I came to a hill. I started slowing down and then I saw my Good Samaritan on the other side of the road. He was cheering me on again. This time he came and road behind me, told me not to stop, to keep going and offered to ride along with me as he was going to the same town.
We road together, talking, lightly because I was in the middle of a serious workout, and edging each other along. It was awesome. I came cursing down the road and into Brasilito on my own steam pulling my little train behind me.
Second thing I learned was to never underestimate your ability to inspire. That man's random acts of kindness pushed me to do what I swore I wasn't able to and, to do it with a smile. Twice I wanted to quite and was going to turn back and both times his infectious positivity kept me going.
After I finished my errands Shmitty and I had a great time sharing a smoothie and the sunset while we enjoyed each others company.
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