You know, before I went to bed last evening, I took a look at my bike. It's been parked in front of the fireplace ever since my friend Mike brought it over for me last week from his garage here in town. I'd kept it there in storage for so long that a fine layer of dust had accumulated on it. Parked against boxes of photo albums, my bike had now become just another piece of furniture to dust and take care of. And I knew that something was very wrong with that picture.
Since I got hurt last August, I probably haven't ridden the bike more than 150 miles or so. Always seemed there was an excuse for not getting back on it. Most of them were lame ones...with absolutely no merit behind them. Things like being too tired, not having enough time, moving back to Hutch again and many others were my "good reasons" for not riding. The more I thought of them, the more pathetic they sounded. What was I waiting for?
So this morning when I woke up, I thought "what the heck"? Maybe today we be a good time to see what I had left in me as far as riding a bike would go. So I got dressed, found my helmet and biking gloves, checked the tires of the bike and started out. It was one of those "now or never" moments for me. And off I went.
My plan was to head south towards the McDonald's in South Hutchinson. From my home to there, the total distance is 4.75 miles. The path to get there isn't bad at all, especially if you take out early, like I did, on a Sunday morning. I just head the 3 blocks west to Main Street, "hang a left" and keep on going until I get to the Frank Hart Crossing that leads from Hutchinson to South Hutchinson. Then it's "easy sailing" the rest of the way if I use the bike path that the city of South Hutchinson constructed several years back. Well, I gotta be honest...that whole idea of "easy sailing" wasn't so easy today. My lack of ambition in riding my bike over the past nearly 11 months began to catch up with me about the beginning of the first mile.
I will so well remember the very first time I tried to get on a bike again last November, between surgeries 2 and 3. The scariest thing I ever had to do in my whole life was to put my foot into the right toe clip and push off for the very first time since the disaster with "old lefty". I didn't die that day as I rode again and this morning, even though I felt a slight trepidation when I started off, the world didn't lose me today either. :)
But by the time I had made it to about 11th and Main, my body began talking to me and it wasn't very happy. Used to be back in the "old days", the worst thing that could happen would be a very sore "behind" from having to sit on a seat that was not so comfortable. If ONLY that would have been the only ailment today. All of a sudden, my once very strong legs became immediately tired and "old lefty", well "old lefty" was the leader of the complaining pack. If an arm could talk, I'm sure it would have said, (and by the way, this is CLEANED UP version of that story) "What the heck are you doing Peggy? Don't you know what happened to me?" I'm sure that I was huffing and puffing and the look on my face would have been similar to the "frowny face" that Dr. Chan always wore when I wasn't doing what I was supposed to be doing in regards to "old lefty".
One thing I've learned in this life, especially since last August 4th, is just how strong the mind and the spirit of a person CAN be. This morning, I became my own "cheerleader" and every time my legs said "that's about enough" my mind said, "You've got to be kidding! You're not even there yet!" When "old lefty" became too tired, then my right arm picked up the slack. I remembered to rest my injured arm and move it around in order that the pain could ease up a bit. When my huffing and puffing became noticeable, I told myself, "Peggy this is what happens when you quit exercising and become less active." I kept encouraging myself until I found that I had made it to the Frank Hart Crossing and then, well, then what was I going to do? Turn around and go home? Heck no...I was going to make it the whole way. And I did.
I cannot describe the feeling I had when I finally got off my bike, the nearly 5 miles from home. I don't know fast I travelled or how long it took me to get there. I have taken the bike's odometer/computer off on purpose and I'm not sure when or IF I will put it back again. Used to be that in the "old days", prior to and right up to August 4, 2011, I wasn't happy unless the odometer said I was keeping an average speed of somewhere between 10-12 mph. If the wind was with me and the traffic was light, I could make it to South Hutch and back in great time! I yearned for the times that I could coast down a hill on the bike path at 20-24 mph, given the right conditions. Not now.
For me, at this point in life, the most important thing is just to get back on that bike and remain active. So if I don't have the computer to look at and "judge" myself as I ride, then I feel a whole lot better about it. The time may come in future when I put it back on. But for now, I'm a whole lot happier and a better rider without it. And to my dear friend and former student, Amy Brittain Pratt, I want you to know dear Amy that I never ride without my helmet and I think of you each time I put it on. I promised and I won't forget.
Many of you reading this blog post are "young folks" and by young folks, I mean anyone younger than me! Although at times I don't like to acknowledge it, this is the summer of my 57th year. And even charter members of the "I Hate Math Club" like me, can figure out that if I make it that long, in 3 years I'll have reached the age of 60. Perhaps you will understand if I say that even though my body is aging, my mind (well, when I'm not forgetting stuff) and spirit remain young. Sometimes, that's a dangerous thing, if you know what I mean. Yet other times, I think it's a wonderful thing~something that inspires me to keep trying until my last breath is taken.
My dear friends, I encourage you to remain active as long as you can in life. For those of us, former children of the 70's and older, there are many things that we can do to ensure that we stay in the best shape possible even as we age. Some of the top activities listed for people my age and older are water aerobics, bicycling, walking, gardening and yoga. There are many, many others. Keeping our bodies fit and our minds active are going to be "key" to having a healthy life as possible. For our "own sakes", we have to do something!
I think I'm developing "thicker skin" as I grow older about certain things. I've been told by students that they just love the way my "grandma skin" feels. At summer school last week, one of the little kindergarten kids said to me, "You know Mrs. Miller, you remind me of one of the old grandmas that goes to my church!" I was smiling at her when she said it but in my mind I was saying "Geesch, I hope her idea of an old grandma is someone in their 50's not 90's!" When one of my fourth grade students asked me on the second day of summer school why my left hand looked so old and wrinkly and the right hand didn't, I just had to laugh and say that it was because "old lefty" was so very special :) And when I explained further that "old lefty" would always have a little bump in it, one of the other kids spoke up saying, "That's not a little bump Mrs. Miller, that's a BIG bump!" They didn't mean any harm at all by their comments. They are innocent in their remarks and because they have gone through the entire healing process with me from the very beginning, they know that they can ask me any question at all and if I can, I will always answer them. Yep Mr. Linkletter, you were right..."kids say the darndest things!"
Time to get busy and get this day started. It's strange, when I got up this morning my body was aching terribly. Old age, arthritis, being lazy...whatever you want to call it. I was tempted to take some Ibuprofen just to get started in the day. But now, an hour after returning from my bike ride, I'm feeling actually pretty decent. Exercise could replace medicine?? Hmm, now that's an interesting idea. Have a great day everyone~June 24, 2012...another great day to be alive in.
Bicycling is always much more fun when you do it with others-My friends Patti, Tonya and her family when we rode the Sterling 4th of July 20 mile "bike hike" last year.
My good friend and a "former" student, Mike Fazio. Mike was working on Main Street with his job for the city August 4th last year. I came across him and stopped to visit about riding bikes with him one day soon, just prior to crashing my bike. I believe if I would have seen him this morning, I might have just stopped wherever I was at and walked my bike back home. Not that I'm superstitious or anything!
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