August 4th was a "lifetime" ago and when my body hit the curbing that day and the bicycle landed upside down in the driveway, I was never really sure that I would be able to ride a bike again. The first few weeks of uncertainty as to how things would ever be repaired and healed, were followed by more weeks of painstaking recuperation. And as the days went by, my self-confidence became even more shaken. I had loved bicycling for a huge part of my 56-year old life but now I was becoming scared to death of ever getting back on one again.
Strangest thing this morning....the radio alarm went off at 4:30 just like always and when my eyes popped open I heard the DJ on KEYN saying that the temperature for today was to be a high of 40 with light winds out of the south/southwest. My very first thought, before anything else, was that today I really needed to try and get back on my bike. Friends, I don't have any idea, any clue as to how that crazy thought came to me. Really, I've done everything I can to AVOID getting back on my bike and taking the chance of getting hurt again. I figured having the bike over in Wichita at the Bicycle Pedaler for the "recall repairs" would be enough for me to not even think about riding again until the spring. I was wrong.
For the next 2 hours, I just couldn't seem to get the idea of trying to ride today out of my head. It didn't matter if I reasoned with myself that it would be too cold, too windy, too dangerous and too late in the day to ride. That gentle urging that I often feel, turned into a pretty decent whack to the head and finally I just gave up fighting it. I made a call to the Bicycle Pedaler and told them I'd be there to pick up my bike after lunch even though the warranty work hadn't been done yet. And that's just what I did.
I had about an hour and a half's worth of travelling time between my home here in Hutch and the Bicycle Pedaler over on North Rock Road in Wichita. And believe me, friends, you can do an awful lot of thinking in that kind of a time frame. In fact, I think I do some of my best thinking during times like those. Between being a "cheerleader" for myself ("Peggy, you're a great bicyclist. You can do it!") and visiting in prayer with God along the way, ("Dear God-if I try this, please protect me and don't let me get hurt again!") the time passed pretty quickly. Before I knew it I was back at home with about 2 hours worth of "near-winter" daylight to spare. It was time to do it, time to get back on the bike. Here I am, getting ready to leave the house to ride my bike for the first time in over 4 months....
Guys, this is probably a "too much information" moment, but I was wearing about 6 different layers of clothing here. Starting with long johns, I added a t-shirt 3 sweatshirts, heavy sweats and the over-sized windbreaker I'm wearing. I normally don't do a whole lot of cold-weather riding but today I was willing to make the exception. By the way, the helmet went on my head...it just wasn't there yet. I tucked "old lefty" into the "get the heck out of my way, neon pink" splint and said my prayers.
The greatest amount of courage was needed when I put my right foot into the toe clip and managed to push off on a downward motion. In one split second, a thousand thoughts went through my mind....don't fall, don't get caught up in your toe clip, don't forget "old lefty" may not be able to have the strength to use the brakes, look out for cars coming. But amazingly enough, I headed out the driveway just like I have hundreds of times before-incident free. I had not forgotten how to ride a bike, thank the good Lord above. The only difference this time brought for me was the need to stop at the corner and wipe the tears from my eyes and regain my composure for the rest of the journey. It was an overwhelmingly emotional experience.
The weather was so cold-the temperature only 35 degrees with a Northwest wind at about 14 mph. But I really didn't feel that much of the cold...I was too busy concentrating on not having another accident. It felt good to be moving along on a bicycle again and for one brief moment in time, it was summertime once more. My ride wasn't long, especially by my old standards but it was "enough". I called the ride "good" at 4.2 miles and as I circled back towards home, I made it a point to ride up the same driveway where I wrecked in August. And surprise of all surprises, I made it! The "after" picture below:
The bike is parked back in the house now. I'll return it to the Bicycle Pedaler on Monday of this week to get a new fork put on it. I won't even be tempted to ride it tomorrow....once is enough for me. When my new cast comes off, probably about early March, then I will once again get it out and take off down the bike path. And as the "good book" says, "to everything there is a season."
I have come to discover something in this weird journey...and the something is this~Having that bike wreck has turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to me. Even though it was painful and so terribly inconveniencing, it had its good side. It provided a much needed "wake up" call for me and the call's message was this...."Peggy Miller, your life is very short so please don't waste it. It is definitely time to get a "move on." And my good friends, the blessings just keep on pouring down on me." God has provided for me in the last 4 months and I know He will do so in the months that lie ahead. My hope for you my dear friends is that you are as blessed as I feel these days. Hang in there everybody and remember that we are all in this together. Please take good care of yourselves and never forget the fragility of this life. Good night all of you~
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