Monday Memory # 20

     Although I no longer had my ol' pony to "ride" around, I had a lot of bike riding ahead of me.  The only thing was...after living out in the country on gravel and dirt roads, I had never learned to ride a bike!  So here I was...seven/eight years old...Springtime..Easter as a matter of fact and everyone in the neighborhood could ride but me!  I didn't even own a bike...and this was before "training wheels bike" days.  I am not even too sure bikes came in different sizes.  The only differences I remember was the "boy" bikes and the "girl" bikes.  Can anyone tell me why there was a difference?  I'll tell you next blog if you don't know!

"Girl" Bike

"Boy" Bike

     I guess the Easter bunny felt sorry for me, because on Easter morning of that year, as we were outside hunting for our eggs and baskets...we came upon a brand new girl bicycle!!  Now I never questioned how a bunny rabbit could have possibly gotten a bike into my back yard...I was too excited to consider the logic of the moment! And..wow..that was one big Easter present!!!

Me and my bike

     I didn't learn to ride immediately...I remember my dad, my mom, and my cousins all trying to help me with the balance thing and it just wasn't working.  So one day, I just went out by myself and decided by hook or by crook...I was going to ride that thing!!!  And I did...one of the many lessons of life...sometimes you just gotta' do it by yourself!

     Years later, I did question how the Easter Bunny was able to deliver such a great gift..come to find out, my dad was quite the barterer.  Many times when he would have an auction, someone might not be able to pay in cash for an item, so daddy would trade something they might have in exchange for what they wanted... one of his recent sales before Easter resulted in his getting a "girl" bike in a trade...with me in mind when the opportunity came up for him!