July 25, 2001
Pedaling after fleeting youth
By GARRET LEIVA
Herald editor
Fleeting youth is impossible to catch; especially when it's riding a 21 speed mountain bike.
There are moments in life when you realize you've been left behind in the dust of adulthood. No amount of gear shifting or furious pedaling can propel you past the fact that you're getting older. Such is the harsh reality of taking a bicycle ride with a 15-year-old.
Before I go any further with my story of "whoa ... slow down," a preface seems in order. First of all, I hold no delusions of triathlon grandeur. I do, however, consider myself physically fit: I hike, I bike, I lift weights. I'll even get up and change the television channels by hand if the remote is missing.
Now admittedly, I haven't ridden the VASA singletrack bike trail much this summer. Despite this fact, I invited my wife's teenage cousin- who was in the area visiting his brother at Interlochen Academy - out for a morning spin. Truthfully, I was shocked he agreed to go; I didn't think teenagers got up before noon in the summer.
After the 31-year-old finished stretching out, we were ready to hit the trail. Before pedaling off, however, I decided to grab a map. I told Matt the trail had changed slightly since my last outing and I'd take it just in case. Of course, the real 'just in case' was Matt biking out to seek medical attention for a certain adult rider.
During our two-hour ride, I heard Matt breath heavy twice. This was perhaps the result of too much oxygen - since he lives and bikes in the thin air of Colorado. My labored breathing, however, was caused by too much youthful enthusiasm.
Every so often Matt would glance back down the trail, just to make sure I was still alive and pedaling. Every so often I would stop and complain about my bike chain jumping out of gear. Matt never remarked that these examinations only occurred after red-face-out-of-breath climbs. I think he broke a sweat just to make me feel better.
Dramatist George Bernard Shaw once said that youth is a wonderful thing wasted on children. This is perhaps why so many adults throughout history have sought a chance at eternal youth. Ponce de Leon had his fountain, Dracula had his hemoglobin and I'm eyeing a dual suspension mountain bike.
However, trying to stay young at heart is not always easy on the ligaments.
Many grownups have immature ideas about their fleeting youth. Maybe it's an australopithecine thing, but get a few guys together and watch Darwinian towel-snapping at its finest. Two-handed touch football becomes tackle, light jogs evolve into dead sprints, dining out turns into who can eat the most buffalo wings; the list is endless.
Youth might indeed be wasted on the young, but at least they have an excuse for their hebephrenic behavior.
As a 31-year-old adult, I'm guilty of chasing youthful dreams with slightly aging quadriceps. Which explains why I'm hoping to get a new full suspension bike for my birthday. After all, if you stray from the path of reality for youthful pursuits expect a bumpy ride.
Grand Traverse Herald editor Garret Leiva can be reached at 933-1416 or e-mail gleiva@gtherald.com.