"old lefty's" swan song

I have always the loved the movie "Mr. Holland's Opus" and after watching it about a gazillion times in life, I think there's a good chance that I have most of the lines memorized.  The main character (played by Richard Dreyfuss) is a high school instrumental/vocal music teacher named Glenn Holland and as the movie progresses we are shown the "ups and downs" of his 30-year career as an educator.  In some ways, Mr. Holland and I are very similar and I think sometimes that is why I really identified with his character.  At the movie's end as he prepares to leave his classroom for the last time in his life, he is surprised to learn that former students from the past 3 decades have come together to play his composition, "The American Symphony".  It was a piece that he had been writing  for  many years yet had never heard it performed and when he took to the podium and lifted his baton to begin conducting the musicians, there was not a dry eye in the house.  Mr. Holland's "swan song' was played out in front of everyone, students both past and present, fellow teaching colleagues, and his wife and son.  In my opinion, the ending could not have been better.

You know friends, I had never really heard of a swan song until I saw that movie.  Heck, I'm not even sure I realized what one really was and that really shouldn't surprise you since I just now have figured out this "rock, paper, scissors" thing.  (no kidding, pathetic isn't it?)   According to the dictionary, the phrase "a swan song" refers to the final gesture, effort, or performance of someone before retirement or death.  In Mr. Holland's case, his years of writing the perfect musical composition finally came to fruition as a huge group of his former students brought out their instruments one more time to play his song.  Not sure that a retiring teacher could ask for much greater of a gift on the last day of their career than to be honoured by those who had once called them "teacher".

Yesterday morning, really bright and early (about 4:30 in the a.m. BRIGHT and EARLY) I went online to register to be a participant in this year's Bike Across Kansas journey.  And after I filled in all of the necessary information and hit the "submit" button, I knew I was beginning what would be the equivalent of a "swan song" for me and "old lefty".

One of my current Miller Bucket List items is "to ride the Bike Across Kansas of 2013 in its entirety".  With luck and a whole lot of riding practice, I'm preparing myself to do just that.  It's not the first time I have tackled it but it will definitely be the last time.  It remains to be seen if I can do all 500 miles of it~but even at that, I will never know until I try and so, try I must!

Riding my bike across the Sunflower state has been one of those relentless quests that I have tried way more than one time to accomplish.  Attempts in 1987, 2001 and 2002 were unsuccessful due to injuries I sustained while training for the week long "adventure".  I broke my left side collarbone after getting caught up in a very wicked stretch of sand and an electric fence in '87.  In 2001 I twisted my left ankle getting off of my bike and in 2002 I met "head on" with the railroad trestle on the Martinez Bike Trail.  Three broken ribs and two badly sprained hands later, the '02 BAK was definitely a "no-go".

Then came the spring of 2011 and after nearly a decade of non-attempts at the BAK, I decided what the heck?  This would be the year to do it, the year when I would FINALLY make it all the way across the state.  I bought a great new bike at the Bicycle Pedaler in Wichita and promptly began riding, putting as many miles on it as I could.  From March until June 1st I was able to put on over 1,000 miles on my bike and miracle of all miracles, had no accidents whatsoever.  I couldn't believe it~not one broken bone or twisted ankle....things were definitely looking up for me.

On that day in early June, with 899 other cyclists from all over Kansas, I started out from the far western Kansas town of Tribune, pedalling my way eastward towards the finish line at the Missouri-Kansas border.  It was a hot and dry journey with the winds perpetually blowing out of the south at 20 mph each day.  With the help and support of my good friends and riding partners, Shelley and Clint Rodriguez, I managed to "soldier on" for the first 4 days.  By the time the fifth day rolled around, however, I was in big trouble.  After leaving the small town of Hoisington, Kansas I knew that I wasn't going to make it much longer.  I was sick and dehydrated and 30 miles into the ride that day, I called my son Grahame to start making his way out to pick me up so I could get to the doctor.  West of McPherson, just inside the Rice County line, my BAK adventure was done.  I hadn't made it all of the way but at least I had gone halfway.

Two months later, I would learn that heatstroke and dehydration were nothing compared to what "old lefty" would be put through after having my bicycle accident in August.  On that fateful 4th day in August I would make a decision that would have the greatest impact on my life that any decision had ever done.  At the end of my morning's 10-mile ride, I foolishly jumped the curb on my bike in front of my house and the result was pretty disastrous.  Every once in a while, I take a look at the initial x-ray from Hutchinson Hospital, only moments after it had happened.  When Peggy Miller breaks a bone, or two or three, she doesn't mess around as evidenced in the photo below.

                                                the damage done-August 4, 2011

It has now been a little over a year and a half since that cool August morning.  3 surgeries, about a dozen casts, and more journeys to the Kansas Orthpaedic Center than I can really have ever imagined taking place.  "Old lefty" is now at its new normal, whatever the heck that is.  I still have some pain and I knew from the get-go that things would never be the same.  I followed the advice of nearly every friend I had who said "Peggy, do not stop riding that bike!"  And although it was very scary at first, I soon began to regain the confidence that I had lost that morning and finally at long last began to feel as if I could cycle once more.  My original plan, only seconds after smacking the curb, was to leave my bike right there in the street for the Stutzman Refuse truck to pick up.  But as my son Grahame was backing out of the driveway to take me to the emergency room, I looked back at it and told him to go drag it on the porch.  Thank goodness I did~

As I have said a thousand times before and now say once again~breaking my arm was the very best thing that ever happened to me in my life.  It changed me, absolutely for the good.  I have no fear of anything now and with a much more grateful heart, I now live my remaining days to their fullest.  So for 7 days come this summer in June, that's where you will find me~doing something that I love.....riding a bike.  Don't worry a bit about me or my arm or anything else.  I have faith that all will be well.  It's the last time I'll ever try the Bike Across Kansas but definitely NOT the last time I will be riding my bike.  The best is yet to come for me in that respect and the future ahead looks so very good to me.

Whatever your passion is friends, please pursue it for all that you are worth.  Life is short, so be making use of every bit of it.  My life, my existence has changed for the better.  I pray the same can be said for you.  Have a good evening dear friends wherever you may be this day.

The Bike Across Kansas route for 2013 goes across the southern tier of the state.  From the Colorado-Kansas border near Johnson City to the Missouri-Kansas border near Galena is a span of a little over 500 miles.  My attempt at cycling across this great state of ours is my "swan song" for Kansas.

My first day back at school in 2011~2 weeks after the accident.  Wearing that cast was just like being pregnant "sideways".  Was I ever glad when the last cast was removed!