Introduction and anecdote about bicycles 🚴

Hello, fellow community cyclists. I'm Ana María @santacruz.sports, and this is my introduction to this community. I live in Venezuela, and although I don't have a bicycle right now 🤭🫣🤣, I used to have several, and I still remember some of the adventures I had with them. I also want to share with you my dreams and future goals, as well as some past initiatives that I didn't have time to carry out. Better late than never.

My history with bicycles

It started when I was 5 years old and my parents left me one night at my godparents' house, who had a daughter my age. My godfather convinced my parents to let me stay so I could learn to ride a bicycle. I was very close to my parents because I was an only child and very spoilt, but I wanted to learn what they called riding a bicycle.

That weekend, other girls, nieces and relatives of my godparents also stayed over. Together with the neighbours in the neighbourhood, we formed a large group and I learned to ride a bicycle in no time, very quickly. I remember that what I liked most was the speed and that feeling of freedom. It was the first time I remembered being without my parents, riding a bicycle through the streets at night. Wow, what a feeling of freedom! I was five years old and already feeling pressured.

My godparents lived in a neighbourhood on a small hill, and next to their house was a steep street with a small shop at the top. My godparents' niece invited me to ride my bike up to buy sweets. The only reason I could think of for making such an effort was that we would then ride our bikes back down. 👀 But apparently, I was the only one who had thought of that. The girl made the purchase and I launched myself downhill on my bike 😱😮 without imagining how fast I would go.

As I descended, I saw everything in slow motion. I enjoyed it until I realised I had to brake, but through logic, intuition or survival instinct, I knew I shouldn't brake or I would fly through the air. I simply tried to turn the corner and slow down, but then in the distance I saw an electricity pole I hadn't seen before 😁 and I began to hesitate. The handlebars started to move, demanding control, and I thought, "I can't crash into the pole." I tried to dodge it, and the next thing I remember is lying face down on a pile of rubble.

As I fell with the bike, I remember hearing screams, and when it was all over, I also remember people running towards me. I just sighed and thought, "Here I am 😂." I broke my mouth and scraped my nose and forehead, but for what it was, the accident was nothing. My godparents got so nervous that they called my parents to come and pick me up. This is my first memory of riding a bicycle. Thank God I wasn't scared and I didn't forget how to ride.

I wasn't planning on writing about this experience in my presentation, but I'll leave it there and come back to it another time, because I like all the topics and will cover them as much as possible. Thank you for this space. I hope you enjoyed my story and that it inspires you to share yours.

Translation: Deepl.com