Things Along the Way

By: Nicolas Mendia

I never really understood why people road biked. Why get all hot and sweaty going from one place to another when you have a car that can get you there in a quarter of a time with no sweat? Even a motorcycle (although probably really dangerous on the winding roads of Vermont) seemed a more efficient alternative. Little did I know.

I was truthfully tricked into road biking. I was asked by a friend if I wanted to go on a bike ride after work one day and hastily agreed. Upon hearing bike ride, I thought: casual ride down the College Street hill towards the Organic Gardens followed by a nice long nap there. Instead, my friend brought me all the way out passed the baseball fields and I soon realized there were going to be no naps any time soon.

We ended up going along this path I can only describe as something from Amelie. Only with a lot more bugs. Still just as beautiful though because it was along the back end of Otter Creek. It was a pebbled path, and I grasped my handle bars with each bump but nonetheless was loving every minute of it.

We kept on going for another 20 miles and came past abandoned barns, apple orchards, pear orchards, an old English Manor, some of the most beautiful houses I have ever seen and lots and lots of cows.

I certainly came back sweaty. In between the English Manors and cows were a lot of really difficult hills to get up on a bike. I was very proud that I didn’t hop off my bike and walk it up any hills. I was also proud I did that. I’ve since been on a couple more road biking trips, one I did all on my own. Those trips have been some of the best parts of my Vermont Summer.

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