TheBanyanTree: the helmet

[Gloria]

I've had a helmet for a couple of years now.  I think I've worn it about six
times.  It's not like I gad about on main highways or anything.  Campground
roads and trails are the places I ride.

There's a bike path north of here that we like to ride.  It's a paved path
and runs alongside the railroad, through the woods, the city, and along the
Traverse Bay for a spell.   It's a very busy path; bikes, rollerbladers,
skateboarders, joggers, and hikers. We rode on it the first time several
years ago, er, part of it.  I think the whole path is 30+ miles long.
Anyway, we had our two young 'uns with us and none of us had helmets.
Strangers take it upon themselves to educate ignorant parents about helmets,
doncha know.  We felt like complete dorks by the time they were done with
us.  Up until that time, we hadn't actually seen anyone wearing one.  Nobody
in our town had one.  :)  We concluded that a) we are very ignorant, b) this
path isn't as safe as it looks, or c) all of the above.

We took their suggestions to heart and went helmet shopping not long after
that.  Finding the kids a helmet was easy, very easy.  Finding Dad a helmet
was pretty easy.  Finding a helmet for me left me irritated.  One can count
on all of the adult helmets being a boring blue, gray, or black.  I wanted
what the kids had to choose from.  I wanted colorful flowers, butterflies,
goofy characters, something with some style.  I finally settled on a dark
blue color and tried it on.  It was too big for my little head.  I tried a
smaller size to no avail.  After much trying on and much frustration, I
found a youth size that fit this little pin head perfectly.  Aha!  If I can
wear a youth size, maybe I can find one with some pizzazz!  Of course that
thought meant we had to revisit all of the places we had shopped for helmets
earlier.  Nevermind that my family is going nuts by this time.  Well, youth
size is just a phase between child and adult and the colors change
drastically between child and youth.  Gone are the pictures, text, and
modern art.  Hmmmpf.  Still, I ended up with a blue one that has some fancy
design barely visible running through it.  It's more acceptable than a
boring blue, but I still want something with pizzazz.

I threatened to place colorful stickers on it and no sooner had I said that,
than the family threatened to have me locked up somewhere.  Pfffft...what do
they know about being a big kid at heart?  And helmet hair?  Ha!  I look
forward to helmet hair.  Gives me a legitimate reason for having a bad hair
day.

Happy biking,
Dreamer...dreamin' of warmer days so I can go ride that bike, and yeah, I
oughta wear that helmet every time I ride....