When I was little, I went camping with my family. I was surrounded by relatives of all ages. All my cousins ​​had brought bicycles and I had brought one too. We all spent hours cycling around the campground, laughing and yelling at each other as we pedaled. Trying to outrun each other, we all zoomed down wooded trails and rocky slopes. Even though I never got to catch up with my older brother, the bike rides were exhilarating for me. The fun times didn't last, however, as I found myself ready to cycle around the campsite with no one to accompany me. As I scoured our campsite for a companion, all I could find were old grandparents and busy aunts and uncles. As a result, I undertook the journey alone. I lifted myself off the ground with my foot and walked away, going where no one could follow me. My ride was suddenly cut short, unfortunately, when my tire slipped on the gravel, pushing the bike sideways. My body was thrown violently against the tiny pieces of rock, and my knee landed first on the sharp stones, tearing them open. Pain shot through my leg as I grabbed it instinctively. There was blood everywhere and fear struck me. Luckily I managed to muster up the courage to return to our campsite, but as a result I had lost the will to cycle. I still have the scar to this day. Since that camping trip long ago, biking hadn't been a huge interest for me. I occasionally enjoyed it when I was out or when I was with my siblings, but I had never considered it anything more than an activity. My view of cycling remained that way for years, but it changed when I met my boyfriend Gabe. He had a passion for two-wheeled vehicles, from flashy motorcycles to simple mountain bikes. Riding a bike was a... middle of paper......our lungs were full of air as we panted hard, but when we made eye contact, we both smiled at each other. On the way home I was tired, but I was proud of myself at the same time. As I looked out the window, watching the trees go by, I thought about what I had done. A sense of power overwhelmed me, a feeling I wasn't used to. My negative self-image and low expectations for myself have always held me back. That day I had decided that I was done being scared and anxious. I would do what I wanted, no matter what. I had done something I couldn't imagine I could do. I had become the girl I thought I could never be. My thoughts were filled with all the things I could do now with my newfound self-esteem. My future was open to whatever I wanted to do. I wouldn't be afraid anymore. Everything was possible in the future and I started planning it myself.