Last night Ben and I went for a moonlight bike ride on one of the local bike paths. We had never done one of these before but my mom kept telling me how neat they were. Since it was the end of the month and we had already spent our entertainment budget, we figured a bike ride was free and a good idea! However, we had to get lights for the front and back of our bikes. Our original plan was to buy cheap flashlights and tape them on. But once we got to the store the shiny bike lights were calling to us and we were weak and bought them. Don't look at me like that. I'd like to see you turn down a shiny, flashing bike light. You can't do it. Also, we needed a water bottle. So our free dated ended up costing us some money. But can you really put a price on memories? Or exercise? Apparently you can and it's $35.48.
We pulled into the park parking lot with another group of people with bikes. I was kind of excited that there would be other people on the trail that didn't look like serial killers. Not that Ben looks like a serial killer, I just figured that my odds of surviving a serial killer attack increased with the number of people I had to out run to live. But they weren't going on a full moon ride. They were picking up their car from their bike ride earlier in the day. They were surprised we were starting our bike ride in the dark, but that's just how we roll. We are dangeresque.
Once we got started, we realized that we really should have taken the other trail that wasn't wooded. The moon doesn't help you on the wooded trail. The wooded trail is just dark and provides lots of places for things to hide and jump out at you. I wasn't afraid so much of people, although I kept thinking that us riding along singing Bicycle Race by Queen would be a great opening to a horror movie. One were we died a horrible bloody death. But that didn't worry me too much, because I know the type of people who live out where we were riding and they aren't so much the chainsaw murderers as they are the jack up their pickups and go squirrel hunting type of people. I was, however, afraid of dogs. I have an irrational fear of dogs and coyotes. I kept picturing a pack of dogs running beside us, us peddling for our lives and then getting eaten. I have a vivid imagination. My fear of dogs was not helped by my trip to India where packs of dogs really do attack people and where we almost got attacked by a very mean looking dog.
BUT! Back to the bike ride. After awhile of not getting attacked by dogs, I relaxed a little and began to enjoy the trip. It was pretty neat. The moon was brilliant. The night sounds were relaxing. The weather was great. Did you know that spider's eyes look like green diamonds when you shine lights in them in the dark? Did you also know that there are about a million spiders out at night? The trail just glittered as our lights caught their eyes. It was cool in a I-hope-I-don't-fall-in-the-grass sort of way. The trip was going well until I almost ran over an animal with my bike. Yes an animal! An animal ran out in front of us and I almost hit it! I think it was a possum, which are mean if you corner them. Have you ever seen a mad possum? It will give you nightmares. So after our almost encounter with an animal we decided to turn around. Also, my hands were cold and numb.
Soon after we turned around we realized that our shiny new lights came with cheap, cheap batteries and our headlights were dying. Crap. So we peddled faster and hoped we didn't run into anything. And we almost did. A man walking on the trail at night. By himself. Creepy. Peddle faster.
We made it back to the parking lot safe and sound. Ben and I were strapping the bikes on to the car when we heard some cats fighting and turned to see the creepy man from the trail walking towards us. Ahh! Ben handed me the keys and told me to wait in the car. As the man approached Ben I was trying to figure out if I could back the car over the creepy guy without hitting Ben if I needed to. I know! My mind! It overreacts!
Ben started talking to the guy and it turns out he wasn't creepy! Well maybe a little. But we freaked him out just as much as he did us. He saw our lights side-by-side on the trail and was convinced a car was driving on the bike trail and was going to run him over! He was relieved that it was just us riding our bikes at night.
Our bike ride was a lot of fun, and a little adventurous. I think the next time I would rather ride on a non-wooded trail and get better batteries. But it was a good time and was way better than just renting a movie. Although, that would have been cheaper....
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