I vividly remember my first bike when I was 5 years old – a beautiful green Schwinn with a plastic coin seat cover. As a child, whenever opportunity allowed, I was out riding my bike; it was my freedom from home, it was fun, and it allowed me to discover my neighborhood wherever I lived. 50 years later, I still explore neighborhoods and am observant of changes around me when I ride. Thus when someone stops me to ask for directions, I know exactly what route to give them along with precise landmarks to avoid traffic congestion or road construction.
While in the military, I would commute on my bike to work and ride it around the base perimeter at lunch to help keep my weight down. I often encouraged my coworkers to join me whenever they were trying to tone up or if they were bored with pumping iron at the gym. It was also therapeutic as I could rest my eyes from hours of working over light tables or other eye straining tasks. Even during my professional career it wasn’t uncommon for me to ride at lunch, thus feeling renewed for another afternoon on the computer.
Cycling is my Zen as it clears my mind while the sweat purifies my body. It is my opportunity to focus my thoughts on what decisions I need to make or simply enjoy the scenery and the fresh air around me. It can also be a social activity with my friends that ride and together we visit local coffee shops and restaurants, view outdoor art, attend community events like outdoor plays or secret shows where local musicians will entertain us under the stars, relax at various parks, or even to go swimming at Barton Springs, our local fresh spring fed pool.
Riding a bicycle is also one of the few things I can do when my Trigeminal Neuralgia is active. Since I always deal with constant facial pain and I know I’m going to hurt, I can vent this into physical activity. Even if a warm breeze may trigger an episode while riding, I peddle all the harder imagining that I am pushing the nerve sensations from my face through my body and out my legs. At times, I feel it has probably saved my life by helping to combat the depression that comes when I am overwhelmed by my condition.
Last September, when faced with costly automotive repairs, I gave up my car and decided to travel solely by bicycle on my own. After living in Austin for a year, I discovered there was little I couldn’t do via the bike. Cycling has always been an important part of my life and I tell my friends, “The day I can’t keep my balance, I’ll ride a tricycle, as I will never give up cycling”. Nor am I fearful of using a ‘granny’ gear when the time comes around as this granny will always be peddling.
Austin, Texas 2013