My earliest memory of riding a bicycle was when..........it was the perfect incentive to continue the rest of our journey.

Freedom on two wheels

My earliest memory of riding a bicycle was when I was just five, and my father and brother were teaching me how to ride. When my Dad finally let go of the back of the seat on my bicycle, I was jubilant. I was riding a bicycle ! However, it was only after several falls and bruises that I finally learnt to ride a bicycle properly. Then, in my teenage years I got a motorcycle and later when I got employed, my motorcycle was replaced by a car. The only time I sued my old bike was when my car was sent for repair and I had to run errands. Recently, though, my doctor advised me to get some exercise to control my weight. That was how I got started on bicycle-riding again, after a lapse of several years. I took out my old bicycle and placed it on my long driveway. I was looking forward to the bike ride with some trepidation. I could not imagine myself barreling down the driveway balanced on two spinning tyres any more. I climbed onto the seat and started. I had the same feeling I got as a child when I first learnt to ride a bicycle -- a feeling of accomplishment and a sense of complete freedom. I felt the wind blowing in my face and caressing my hair. From then on, cycling became one of my favorite hobbies. I decided to buy a brand new bicycle. I bought one with black and yellow stripes. I cycled around my neighborhood for more than a week. Then I decided to take a longer ride. I asked my friend, Jeff, to join me. Jeff suggested that we embark on a two-day cycling trip to the countryside. It was my first bike tour and I was feeling really enthusiastic. I brought a bag of clothes, a bath towel, a spare tyre, a book to read and some food items. We started early in the morning from my house in Ipoh and cycled towards Kuala Kangsar. We traversed the busy roads of the city and cycled along the shady paths. The full 360-degree view I got when riding the bicycle gave me the opportunity to sense the world around me. I could near, see, smell, and touch things that I never had the opportunity to do when I was boxed up in my car. with the cool breeze blowing and the morning sun hidden behind the fluffy clouds, we pedaled hard. On both sides were tall trees. The first few hours of our journey were relatively easy. We prided ourselves on our stamina. With the wind on our side an the shade provided by the trees, cycling was a breeze. However, it was when we were ascending a steep hill that we found our stamina put to the test. To our amazement, the bikes were becoming increasingly more difficult to control. Packed with gear, the front of our bikes wobbled from side to side as we struggled to gain control. I realized that I was carrying a lot of stuff that I did not need. The ride uphill was energy-sapping and we stopped at a number of places to rest. I realized that cycling a long distance was not as easy as I though. If I was younger, I was sure I could have done it. But when you are in your late twenties and overweight, it is not fun. My challenge was perhaps made tougher as I had to carry an additional 20 kilo backpack on my back. I was glad when it was time to rest our weary bodies. I had a hard time waking up the next morning. When I finally woke up on the second day of the tour, I felt as if my legs had doubled in size. I had never experienced pains quite as severe as this. we had to delay our return trip by a day as we needed time to recuperate from the adventures of our previous day. The next morning was not much easier. But as the day passed, the leg pains went away. By the time I reached the outskirts of Kuala Kangsar, I did not feel any pain at all. I was having fun and enjoying the ride. Our return journey was much easier than I had anticipated. we were going downhill most of the time and the weather was fine. It was neither too hot nor too cold. We glanced at our odometers and realized that we had clocked 50 kilometers -- it was the perfect incentive to continue the rest of our journey.

Summary: The writer took up cycling to lose some weight after being advised by a doctor. One weekend, he and his friend went on a cycling trip. the first part of the trip was relatively easy. However, they encountered problems while cycling up a hill. It sapped them of their energy. Besides, they found it difficult to control their bicycles because of the weight they were carrying. They had to stop a few times to rest. The writer found it difficult to get up the next morning and when he finally did, his legs had become swollen and he was suffering from intense pain. they had o delay their return trip by a day as they needed time to recuperate. However, the return trip to their hometown went smoothly and easily.