So, I've been all excited about doing lots of cycling training and focusing hard on getting to Death Valley. Of course my little daughter knows all about this, but it wasn't until a chance converastion the other day that I really thought about it from her prespective.
Imy was 6 last Saturday. She is intelligent, great fun but is also really caring. This is why it was no surprise to me some time ago that she put her pocket money in the collection tin for my bike ride. We had been talking about why I was raising money and talked a lot about how lucky she is compared to many people here and abroad. She really likes the idea of helping others. I was (am) very proud of her.
Recently, though, she has started to be come a bit anxious about my cycling. There are two reasons for this. Given that she's pretty good on a bike (and is now practising riding down the concrete steps outside her house) I have insisted that she wears a helmet. I always wear one. But in explaining why it is important, we talked about how one can fall off a bike, or how cars and cyclists can be unpredictable and how without a helmet you have more of a risk of injury. Brains here didn't really realise that she now worries everytime I go out on my bike that some disaster might befall me. I'll admit it, I have not been totally honest with her. I convince that everything's fine - I wear a helmet, have high visibility stuff and not to worry, but the fact is that nearly everytime I go out, it's more than a little dangerous.
I have lost count of the times I have nearly been sideswipped by a truck or car. Going through Hove is a nightmare as people come out of junctions, checking for cars, but utterly failing to see me coming. If it's slightly wet breaking is ...interesting... and at speed my back wheel does have a tendancy to fishtail. She knows none of this of course. Incidentally drivers, I've changed my driving style quite significantly and I'd love it if you would too!
But the other thing I just didn't think about is the name Death Valley. For me, it's a place. I know it's hot and potentially dangerous. Imy, though, thought I was going to a place where I would literally die... I guess I should have been a bit more thoughtful. Credit to Imy though, she's not told me I shouldn't go and has always said that it's good to raise money for people less fortunate. Having talked about what I'm actually doing and looked at pictures of the place, she's much more content. So I will miss her hugely, but at least I know she won't be wracked with torment whilst I'm away.
It's also been great to have her involved in my little project. If nothing else, it's meant that we now go out on our bikes together quite often, which I love.
That said, I have three funeral directors kindly sponsoring me. ...don't think I'm going to tell her that.
Rich
No comments:
Post a Comment