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Writer's pictureakmann

I Did What!

Do you ever find that you are living your life compartmentalized? Well four of my segments collided when I started to work on this article. Four! Out of how many, I wonder? Time to simplify my life in general.


Monday's A1 discussion was about bicycle safety in America and reminded me that I needed to finish a couple of articles on cycling. I was so thrilled to hear this was a topic (although, sadly, it was sparked by the highest death toll of cyclist ever in NYC). The thought of "bicycle safety" is an oxymoron in my family. I was hit and almost killed in 1999, and my father was killed in 2002 while riding bicycles in Tallahassee. Two very different cycling activities with the same deadly outcome.


I was on a Sunday morning bike ride, what used to be called the food lion loop, a block from finishing my 30 mile ride when a mini-van pulled into my path. Yes, I had the right-of-way. Yes, I had my helmet on. And yes, the crash was serious and changed the path of my life.

Dad was a bicycle commuter and rode his bike to work every day. We never learned what actually happened, but he was found in the middle of the road with a life-ending head injury. Yes, from where he was found, he had the right of way. No, he was not wearing a helmet.


So there are two compartments; cycling safely, and living with brain injury. I had already planned to write an article on the Spaghetti 100, a ride put on by our local bike club the Capital City Cyclist. I've only done the Spaghetti 100 about four times, the last time in 2002. This saddens me when I realize how much time has passed since I was out on those rolling hills. So there is another compartment; bicycling on a weekly basis.


I was also planning a piece on bike lanes for commuters. And after a brief google search I found that Tallahassee was featured in America's Best New Bike Lanes of 2016 on peopleforbikes.org! Very encouraging.


While writing this article I did the deed and signed up for the Spaghetti 100 ride. Oh, my. So, stay tuned for training tips, tire changes, and hopefully, some interesting views of surrounding counties as I get back in the saddle.


Challenge:

What is something you haven’t done in quite a while that added joy to your life? Set yourself a goal and get back to it as soon as you can.



Wow, this was from 2002 or '03 at the daylily farm. I was much heavier and much younger - lol.

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