{A snippet from the chapter ‘Girl Meets Bike’}

Physical activity seemed more like a form of torture than an enjoyable pastime when I was younger. At the time, I was completely uncomfortable with my physical being, and unaware of its potential power. I was absolutely a bookworm, prone to losing myself in an author’s world instead of getting outside and experiencing my own reality. In addition to my tendency to withdraw into books, my short, chunky stature was also not on my side when it came to physical activities. While my fellow classmates received patches in bronze, silver, and gold for their jackets for their physical achievements, I was lucky to earn paper participation cards. I would have preferred to read a book.

When I graduated from high school and moved on to the world of post-secondary education, it became possible to completely avoid the whole realm of physical activity. I was in heaven. This was fine for a while, until the junk food and lack of activity caught up with my 4 foot 10 inch frame in a big way! Before I knew it, I had blown up like a blowfish.

…………

{A snippet from the chapter ‘Cycling with the Pros’}

I had never been so terrified in my life. My nerves teetered near a breaking point as I maneuvered my way down the mountain inch by inch, gripping the brakes so tightly that my forearms cried out in pain. Each tight turn was gut wrenching, and each stretch between felt to me like walking on a tightrope. In my mind’s eye I could see myself plummeting off of the edge and down the cliff to my doom. I had to stop numerous times to ease the strain in my forearms, to take a few breaths, and to make a vain attempt at calming myself.

Somehow I made it to the bottom. I was so unnerved that I wanted to vomit. I couldn’t control my nerves any longer, and the next thing I knew I began to sob. As soon as the tears started flowing, all of my anxiety came pouring out. I looked at James, and I told him to go ahead without me, that I would meet him at the top. I needed to somehow figure this thing out, and I didn’t want to slow him down while I tried to pull myself together. He knew me better than to argue with me, so he hopped on his bike and off he went.

Now that I was on my own, I took stock of my situation. There was only one way to get back to our hotel room, and that way was up. As I saw it, my choices were to attempt the daunting ascent in front of me, or to lie down in the ditch and give up. After weighing those options, I reluctantly started to climb the long, steep stretch of road in front of me.

Up I went. I grunted, I sweated, and somehow I used brute force to make it up the first long, steep switchback. As I hung my head over the front of the handle bars and gasped for air, all I could think of were the 20 switchbacks that still lay ahead of me. How in the world was I going to get to the top? I couldn’t even picture myself making it.

…….

‘If you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.’  – Henry Ford

‘Just a Girl and a Bike’ the book is now available through Print On Demand and as an ebook.

All proceeds of book sales will go to World Bicycle Relief

Buy ‘Just a Girl and a Bike’ Here