Dream Graves

At 57, I've reached the age where I'm giving up on some of my physical dreams as being 'not able' to complete. When I was younger I used to walk along the bicycle paths. One is in Quebec. I would just cross the bridge and the bicycle track ran along the river. Once when I was walking, I saw a sign that said 'Quebec City' and an arrow. I was quite excited and decided that some day, I would get a bike and go along the track from Hull to Quebec City. What fun! I would have to take money for motels and food, but wow, what a great thing to do. My only problem is I never learned how to ride a bike. No worries. I would learn. I was young, right? Years go by and I would think of my 'trip' from time to time and watch it slip farther away from me. Now that my left knee has so much arthritis that my patella rides freely, only held by the tendons, I realize that there's no way I will be able to bike up to Quebec. I didn't even learn how to ride. Bah. But wait, there's other things a person can do. Only I haven't come up with many of them. Well, one of my mother's cousins went whitewater rafting when she was 73 but she said it was real easy run, just hold on. That's a great idea. I would love to be on a river, outside. Just hold on. Hmmm. Of course, technology might make things a little easier for older people. I'm sure there is a bike that runs on a motor. Not a motorcycle, but a regular bike. Why I'm sure I could learn to ride that. Or wait. In Ottawa, in summer, they have the Corridor Special on the train. Kingston to Quebec City for twenty-nine dollars. Well, I can sit on a train. And take a friend. We could even bring our own food. It's a six hour trip. I have been to Quebec City already, years ago. But I've always wanted to go again. Maybe it doesn't matter so much how I get there.