When I was 7 years old I was still riding a bike with one training wheel around the neighborhood. I am certain my parents had tried to take both training wheels off to teach me how to ride a two wheeler. I just wasn't getting it. And I had no pride, I felt the most comfortable with one training wheel and so I continued to ride my bike that way all the time. Maybe deep down my parents and I felt like this was a good as it gets. I vaguely remember conversations about adult 3 wheel bikes. If there were conversations about these types of bikes, they didn't last long.
It must have been the end of 2nd grade at school when my OT and PT collaborated and asked if my
parents could bring my bike into school. Marge, Linda and I went outside to the school parking lot and one of them removed the final training wheel from my bike. I don't remember how many sessions this took but I do remember it was spring time and both of my therapists ran on each side of me until I felt steady. I remember they described going uphill as a time to pedal harder and going down hill was a time to easily coast and not pedal. I remember being really nervous going over cracks and bumps and turning. There came a point when I was really steady and able to stay upright while pedaling. It did take me longer to "start" on my own. Mid-way into that summer I remember my dad needing to hold my the back of my seat while I placed my feet on the pedals and started moving. To this day I need to have the pedal in a certain spot for my left foot to begin pedaling and moving.
My therapists gave me the gift to participate in play activities by taking the time to teach me how to ride a two wheel bike. They had an envision that maybe I could ride my bike around the neighborhood with other kids to expand my friendships. It became that and so much more. Not only did I ride my bike around the neighborhood with other kids, we went and got ice cream. In high school I continued to ride my bike around my neighborhood and socialize which expanded into pet setting and baby sitting. In college bike riding was my outlet in between studying and tests. Actually during college I would take 2 or 3 bike rides a day - yes to avoid homework. As I have grown older I have only learned that into mid-adulthood this is only helping my stress level, blood pressure and weight. More importantly it is a way for me to unwind, daydream and keep life and my thoughts in order.
It has also been a social outlet for me. In fact, for 4 years my former Physical Therapist and I participated in a bike event called the Ability Tour through Peckham. It has been really neat to say I rode about 16 miles each year with the PT that taught me how to ride a bike.
This post has again helped me realize and reconfirm how rich my life is. Most people take riding a bike for granted. But while I have ridden in the bike events with Marge and while riding across the Golden Gate Bridge I thought of where I learned how to ride a bike. I thought about how much extra effort it was for me to do something that everyone else views as a normal part of life.
That's just how I roll and pedal along. I take longer to "earn" the simplest things but then I rarely take those things for granted!
Whoever knew bike riding could bring up such profound thoughts...Just Keep Pedaling!
http://www.healthdigezt.com/pedal-your-way-to-fitness/
My therapists gave me the gift to participate in play activities by taking the time to teach me how to ride a two wheel bike. They had an envision that maybe I could ride my bike around the neighborhood with other kids to expand my friendships. It became that and so much more. Not only did I ride my bike around the neighborhood with other kids, we went and got ice cream. In high school I continued to ride my bike around my neighborhood and socialize which expanded into pet setting and baby sitting. In college bike riding was my outlet in between studying and tests. Actually during college I would take 2 or 3 bike rides a day - yes to avoid homework. As I have grown older I have only learned that into mid-adulthood this is only helping my stress level, blood pressure and weight. More importantly it is a way for me to unwind, daydream and keep life and my thoughts in order.
It has also been a social outlet for me. In fact, for 4 years my former Physical Therapist and I participated in a bike event called the Ability Tour through Peckham. It has been really neat to say I rode about 16 miles each year with the PT that taught me how to ride a bike.
This post has again helped me realize and reconfirm how rich my life is. Most people take riding a bike for granted. But while I have ridden in the bike events with Marge and while riding across the Golden Gate Bridge I thought of where I learned how to ride a bike. I thought about how much extra effort it was for me to do something that everyone else views as a normal part of life.
That's just how I roll and pedal along. I take longer to "earn" the simplest things but then I rarely take those things for granted!
Whoever knew bike riding could bring up such profound thoughts...Just Keep Pedaling!
http://www.healthdigezt.com/pedal-your-way-to-fitness/
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