132. On the Bike

The app promised rain. 24 hours of it. 100% chance.

I have to admit, I was a little bit relieved. The original impetus of this trip was to try out the newly-constructed bike path around Lake Garda, slated to be completed in 2021. When COVID delays caused it to be years behind schedule, we decided to stick with the plan and come anyway, and to stick with the idea of doing some major biking.

When I say “major,” I mean by my own standards. I am not really comfortable on a bike, and although I’m a regular runner and swimmer, I find that doesn’t really carry over so well to bike fitness. I don’t like uphills; I don’t like downhills. I don’t like sharing the way with walkers, cars, other bikers or dogs. So basically, the conditions don’t exist for me to really enjoy the biking experience.

And yet I persist.

Despite the forecast, the day broke sunny and clear, after all. So we headed to the Bike ‘n Foot to rent bikes in the nearby town of Peschiera, and did a lovely 15-mile ride along the River Mincio; it met all my conditions and constraints at about 80%, which is probably as good as it gets. I’d like to think the 8-year-olds and the 80-year-olds whizzing by me were all on electric bikes, but that would be a lie.

Mission accomplished.