Bike vs Bull: Life Lessons while Running with Mom

One of my favorite mom memories is from when I was eight years old, while our family was stationed in Germany. 

Mom took me out for a daily run. She was running, and I was riding my trusted 32-inch red BMX bike. We passed all of the cornfields and ran into the forest. It was a nice sunny day, and the forest had a nice canopy so little rays of light were piercing through the trees every few feet.

To the left, about 50 yards, was an open pasture and a few head of cattle and one ginormous bull named Fu Man Chu (at least that’s what I call him today). He must have caught a glimpse of my red bike because he turned into that bull from the Last Unicorn and started racing toward us to trample us down and drag us under. I could feel the tension rise as I made eye contact with Mom. Instinctively, she picked her cadence.

We both looked back knowing there was a watering hole, a 4-foot fence, and 56 yards of not so dense forest between us and the beast. As we both looked back, the Bull jumped into the watering hole. The waters split like Moses parting the Red Sea. (This is pretty much a photo image of what happened.)

Fu Man Chu then jumped on the fence...like ON TOP! Something a WWF Undertaker would do. My mom looked at me and at the top of her lungs screamed, “Pedal, Michael! Pedal!” I instantly brought my single speed dirt bike from 56 RPM to 117. Somehow mom kept up.

Did the bull get over the fence? I have no idea. We never looked back!

I know I have shared this story before but, the world should never forget the lessons learned from it. I know I never will!

Thanks, Mom for teaching me to make decisive choices in tense moments, be all in, and not look back.

To a lady who loves to smile, loves to run, loves God, loves her kids and grandkids, who always told me to never be afraid to ask questions, try new things, and who allowed me to cry when I needed to, thank you! To a grandma who dares to share with her grandkids that she used to like the taste of dirt and may have consumed a few ants in this endeavor, thanks for being authentic! Thanks for always loving me no matter what crazy idea I have next. 

I love you so much, Mom!

~Michael

What life lessons have stuck with you? What outdoor adventures do you recall with your mom or another woman that loved you like her own? Comment below 👇