A guest post by Susan F and her friends!
Susan F
This post is a reflection on a recent bike and barge trip I took with 4 women friends from Bruges to Amsterdam.
In thinking about this post, I re-visited a post I wrote for FIFI in Oct 2014 about my feelings of inadequacy, particularly around my lack of fitness, on a bike trip to Utah. To provide context for those of you who didn’t read, or don’t remember, my earlier post 😊, I am a member of a biking group that started 17 years ago when a small group of women who worked together began taking bike trips together! In 2010, I was asked to join them on a trip to the Loire Valley, and since then we have had the privilege to bike through places near and far, such as Quebec, Italy, Portugal, and Denmark.
Most of these trips were self–guided, meaning we were responsible for getting ourselves around – there was no team leader navigating and no sag wagon available to provide a break from riding. This year though we opted to try something new – biking 300 km over 6 days while travelling on a canal barge.
I suspect the motivation was partly our aging bodies but primarily due to concern about my limitations. Although I am the youngest at 58, I have Parkinson’s disease, degenerative disc disease and other assorted ailments. Furthermore, I broke my tibia in a 2020 bike accident. These factors contributed to limit my outdoor bike riding. Although I did some training on the gym bike, the sad truth is that at the time of the trip, I had only ridden my bike 5 times outside in the past 2 years.
I could comment on several aspects of the trip such as how it made me grind my teeth listening to the “sweep” (another passenger) voluntarily mansplain how to purchase an e-bike to one of my friends. However, I am going to limit myself to observations about two disparate subjects – the power and importance of true friendship and the way the trip helped me begin to accept my new body shape.
One of my favorite sayings is “Surround yourself with champions”. I am very lucky as each one of my fellow biker chicks is a true champion. The following are just some of the ways:
One was insistent from day 1 that I was going, even if I ended up sitting on the boat the entire time. She even offered to sit and people-watch, if need be, when we were off the boat, despite the fact that she had not been to Amsterdam or Bruges before.
When we met as a virtual group to discuss our pre/post time in Amsterdam and Bruges, the group could not have been more accepting of my need to eat and take medicine at specified times, or accommodating, planning around my down time when my meds start to wear off.
For several weeks prior to departure, we checked in regularly regarding our exercise regime to encourage one another in preparation for our travels.
While on the trip, my big heavy bike fell over on me three times – my friends took my bruising in stride and on one occasion one of my friends prevented a well-meaning stranger from physically grabbing me in his efforts to help.
I chose not to bike on two days and felt that the team completely supported my decision.
Perhaps most importantly, my friends navigated the difficult road of looking out for me with exemplary care and compassion, recognizing my need for autonomy but readily providing assistance when requested.
I have always struggled with body image issues but never more than in the past 18 months or so. This is because I am shrinking while essentially maintaining the same weight. I have lost 7 cm and feel like I am all boobs and big belly these days. I truly hated my body before I left on this trip, but I’m happy to say I’m back on the road to acceptance.
Why? The first step was a vow I made on the eve of departure; I promised not to complain about how I looked or be grumpy about having my picture taken. I did this because I didn’t want to ruin my friends’ trip by whining. I even made one of my friends promise to give me the stink-eye if I broke this vow.
The next step was being physically able to participate in the trip. I was able to walk in Amsterdam/Bruges without much difficulty, but the true triumph was biking 200 km over 4 days. I had forgotten how much I enjoy biking as a way of sightseeing. It made me realize that I cannot hate a body that is healthy enough to allow me to experience this.
Lastly it seemed full circle to re-read my 2014 post. I said then that life has a way of throwing us curveballs. The curveballs, although different, keep coming. I need to remember to embrace every opportunity while I can. Life is too short to live any other way.
Susan M
Fortunate. I feel so, very, very fortunate. To have friends who share my love of cycling, and of learning through travel; to be able, at the age of 60+, to physically do all the things I want to do; and to have the financial wherewithal to get up and go when the opportunity presents itself. Our group may move differently now than we did 15 years ago but we are still moving, and moving makes life better, in the short term and the long term. Not only do I feel fortunate, I am grateful to my friends for moving with me!
Vicky R
“What to do, What to see, What to remember…’ This was the inscription on the notepad at our hotel in Amsterdam.
What to say about a group of 55+ women who have been cycling together for over 15 years in Europe and North America?
We have had some awesome adventures, eaten some amazing food and we continue to laugh out loud together! And yes…we also cycle in between the food, drinks and shopping. None of us can be considered an ‘athlete’ in any way, shape or form – but we make it work. Our most recent cycling trip was a Bike/Barge adventure from Bruges to Amsterdam. It was easily the least stressful of the many trips we have taken – long flat pathways along canals and quiet rivers, courteous car drivers who, at times, would stop to let all 19 of us cross the road, quirky mini ferry rides – some just passenger and bikes, lots of cheese, chocolate and beer. The luxury of staying on a barge without unpacking, having all your meals provided and a well informed guide to take us through the lovely villages and towns was an unexpected pleasure. In fact, it was relaxing and a wonderful way to reconnect with our little group of friends in a post Covid world. These trips have been an excellent break from our busy careers and lives and truly are therapy for all of us!
