old Dog, new Trick

As many years as I have been riding a bike, I have never been able to ride without holding onto the handlebars.  It's kind of like how I never learned how to roller skate backwards.  I've always felt jealous of those bikers who can pedal, holding an energy bar in one hand and a water bottle in the other.  Guess what I can do now.  It's weird.  How can during one day it be impossible to ride without losing my balance and then the next day I can throw my hands up into the sky look upward and pedal without holding on, a new found freedom, giddy joy washing over my body as it does a new trick?