Just like riding a bike!

I rode the bicycle for the first time today.
The last time I owned a bike was when I was 12, asking for one for my Bat-Mitzvah and having my dad ride it all the way from the shop back home, in rainy Jerusalem.
After a year or two with that shiny red Peugeot stood in the porch, it was respectfully transported to my cousin Nir in the Kibbutz.
I vaguely remember riding a bike since then, though I have no idea with who, where, when and most importantly, why.
Two weeks ago I finally realized I need a bike. The village nearest to us, the one with the shop and the bus stop is two miles away (3.218km, apparently). It takes me about 45 minutes to walk there, a bit too much for the padla'a (lazy sod) that I am. The wintery summer here is no help, even when the rain stops it is still drizzly and windy.
Last week we found a shop for used bikes: people donate broken or plain old bikes and the workers fix them up. The bikes are than sold at cost, because the shop is actually a workshop and charity that offers disabled people an opportunity to be professionals. Not only did we buy a cheap bike, we also did a good deed. I realy wanted the Princess bike, with the cool thirties design and the basket up front, but I made the grown-up chioce and took a green bike with wider tires so we could ride in the fields, after all we do live among the sheep and cows.
On Friday afternoon Rich brought it home and immediately I tried it out on the lawn (I wanted it to be soft in case I fell off). It really is like riding a bike – I didnt fall off and even manged the turns and slopes till I had enough and I went back home to watch the Simpsons.
We weren't home at the weekend and it drizzled all day yesterday, but finally today the sun shone and we ran out of milk and bread so I didn't have a choice and I went on my way.
To tell the truth: it was really scary at first. I was going down our hill on the narrow road with a car behind me, at the end of the slope when I stopped in somebody's parkway and the car passed me I could feel my heart pounding. As I got to the village I was already breathing hard and while getting off the the bike to the shop my legs were shaking. The way back was exhausting and I climbed the hill by foot. When I got home I did some streching but it's obvious that tomorrow I'll be all tense and will have to go riding again :)