My Cycling Adventures

I remember my first tricycle, when I was three years old, and not only would I chase up and down the garden path we had (was paved) but we used to go down to Raffles ground and spend hours running around with it.

When I was about 4 or 5, my parents got me a lovely black and yellow bicycle and my red tricycle went to my sister (although I still secretly liked it). At first we had side-wheels, and then they were gradually taken off.

A few years later, we got a red Tomahawk, which I still winder the fate of today. We graduated to using the bikes not only in Luxol but other areas where they could be taken for a good old spin. This was most Sundays. At some point, we also used to cycle in the small street / alleyway next door and go round and round the block. Since I lived (still do) on a main road, commuting here and there was not much of an option and I was into windsurfing with my dad and his best friend.
and ballet more than anything else.

Eventually I moved on the Dawes foldable ladies' bike, which I still have today because it is quite a classic. The bike sat there for years and years, until glorious 2019, when I saw racks and racks of bikes in Antwerp. I had been seeing the Nextbike racks starting to setup in Malta and aching to start again and I thought - here we go! I had never cycled in really busy roads, let alone a big city but well, it did work, and how!

I came back to Malta and ordered my pedelec (even as I had been discussing these new wonders with a friend of mine - since part of the reason I'd kept away was the damage which ballet had done to my knees. In fact, while waiting for my lovely bike to arrive, I went to Palma di Mallorca and used the shared bicycles there as well.

My recommencement was slow but since my office and home were both in Swieqi, I started to commute to the office, and then to my ballet shop in San Gwann, at least when the weather permitted. My first real long bike ride was this group's memorial ride for Cliff in summer; I was terrified because my knees, especially my left, was bound to give me trouble during uphills, but the pace was very do-able and I had some lifelong friends like, keeping an eye out for me and I was fine.

I've started to go to Greens, do certain errands across villages and also simply go for a nice ride. I've not ventured far alone, only because I know I am quite a klutz and thus, possibly a hazard to myself on the roads.

Earlier this year, I joined a really nice group that goes out on a Sunday morning at 7 am. It took me a while to get used to such early morning ventures, but I do look forward to it. Meanwhile, however, going to one of these cycles, I fell off my bike (5 weeks ago) and severely damaged my cruciates of - you got it! - my left knee. I've been on and off crutches since, had to get a knee brace and walking is getting more, not less, painful though I am not gaining weight.