Commentary from guest blogger Shannon Goff
When I was fifteen I was always down to try exciting new
things and go out of my comfort zone to find whatever thrills I could. I grew
up in a small town in North Carolina, so challenging myself and exploring new
things was the only way I could get over the boredom and monotony of my rural
upbringing. One day my friend Donnie asked if I wanted to go ride some mountain
bike trails in our local park and I eagerly agreed to go. Little did I know it
was going to be one of the most terrifying experiences of my life.
My dad dropped my bike and I off and I joined Donnie, helmet
in hand, to set out on the rough terrain of the closest trail. I had been
riding bicycles since I was five or six so I wasn’t scared and felt more than
up to the challenge of trying out mountain biking for the first time. We
started pedaling and within ten minutes disaster struck. I found myself taking
a sharp turn down a rough trail riddled with trees and gnarled roots. Suddenly,
I lost control of my bike and began picking up a scary amount of speed. I was
paralyzed with fear, thinking, “this is it, I’m going to drive my bike off the
side of this hill and die.” In a snap subconscious decision that must have been
pure reflex, I turned my handlebars and ran straight into a huge oak tree to stop
myself. Ouch. It took me a minute to realize what was going on around me. I was
on my back, looking up, shocked and confused. From a distance I could hear my
friend Donnie shouting expletives and running down beside me to pick me up off
the ground. But he stopped short as I sat up. I looked down and saw why – blood
was pouring from my face. The helmet probably would have protected my head but
it couldn’t have prevented me from smacking the bottom of my chin into the
rough bark of the tree. It didn’t hurt until I touched it and realized what was
happening. I immediately started freaking out and going into hysterics. I
called my dad who was still close by and we sped off to the closest Urgent
Care. He handed me a Veggie Tales towel, unfortunately the only thing in the
car that we had to stop the bleeding, and finally said, “I hope you didn’t
break any teeth, we paid a lot for those braces you just got off.” Wow, thanks
dad, so sympathetic.
Turns out I hit so hard that I tore the skin and muscle all
the way to my jaw bone. I ended up getting two stitches to repair the muscle
underneath and five stitches to sew up the surface. Moreover, I hit so hard
that I ended up receiving treatment from a chiropractor a couple years later
who said the impact caused my neck and spine to drastically shift out of place
and claimed that by looking at my x-ray one would think that my neck “was on
backwards.” Needless to say, I never again rode a bike. That is, until a few
days ago.
Since my senior semester has just started, I have very
little time to go on an adventure unless it’s something local. With the cold
weather, my options are even more limited. So, I decided a big adventure and
huge milestone in my young adult life would be facing my fears and getting back
on a bike for the first time in six years.
Early one morning before my afternoon class, I borrowed my
roommate’s bike (and helmet) and shakily started pedaling down the street. I
imagine I looked similar to a baby giraffe trying to ride a unicycle. It was a
rough start. I gradually started picking up speed and confidence. I kept
telling myself, “I’m 21 years old, I’m an adult and this is a bicycle, stop
being silly, I’ve got this.” It wasn’t long before my fears started slipping
away and I was riding like I used to pre-accident. With every push of the pedal
I could feel my body and mind becoming stronger. My heartbeat, pulse, and
happiness increased and I ended up losing myself and riding for two hours –
much longer than I could have ever imagined.
Obviously this isn’t what many people would consider an
exciting and life-changing adventure, but by facing my fears and doing
something as simple as riding a bicycle I realized things that I had definitely
forgotten. I had lost the feeling of empowerment that challenging oneself can
bring. Before my bike ride I felt afraid, nervous, and silly. Afterward, I was
more confident and mentally and physically stronger. It was absolutely
incredible. This was a small-scale adventure but a huge risk and challenge for
me, and the first step to opening my mind to larger explorations.
Next up,
skydiving.
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