lost and found in retirement
My 2018 bicycle touring season has drawn to a close. Retirement freed my calendar for things that make me happy. Exploring the world on my bike makes me happy. I am a learner, a person who seeks to learn more. My learning experiences are typically about things that intrigue me. There are times when these experiences lead me to learn more about myself. Here are…
Last week I set out on my first solo bike tour. It was a time of apprehension and anticipation. I was uncertain what I would find out about myself and solo touring. It was a wonderful experience, something I will do more of in the future. Here is what I learned about life from my week in the saddle. Every day is a new adventure….
This morning I pedaled out of Harpers Ferry with a breakfast destination fifteen miles west in Shepherdstown. I cycled up the switchback from the canal trail to the main road into town. I was pleasantly surprised that there was a wide shoulder on both sides of the highway welcoming towpath cycle tourists into the quaint college town. I Yelped Betty’s restaurant and easily found myself…
Retirement gives me more opportunities to cycle. Cycling for a cause is an important part of my cycling adventures. I cycled the Bike MS 150 for many years prior to my retirement. I looked to continue this tradition in central Ohio. Pelotonia is the premiere charity bike ride in Columbus. It is integrated into central Ohio bike culture with the expectation that “serious” cyclists be…
I cheered Susan on as she pedaled her recumbent slow and steady down A1A. I met Susan earlier in the week at Bike Florida’s Gullah Geechee Tour. She began cycling at age 50 and became an avid cyclist completing numerous bike tours and riding a century (100-mile ride) every year. Pretty awesome for a 75-year-old active senior. This past week I was reunited with Susan…
I was a different person ten years ago. I was sedentary, obese, and unhappy. It was not a good situation to be in less than three years after open heart surgery. A change had to happen. Frustrated with my failed weight loss attempts, I pursued weight loss (bariatric) surgery. I spent most of my life trying to find myself. When I finally found “me”- the real…
The room was sterile and suddenly silent. The cardiologist told me I had four blockages in my heart and needed coronary triple bypass surgery. This was the loneliest, most emotional point in my life. I was left alone in the room with tears in my eyes. Nothing brings to light the life changing consequences of a heart attack more than a survivor’s story. February is…
There is no question that regular physical activity is good for me. It’s hard to ignore the barrage of news touting how hitting the gym makes life better. This is the time of year when fitness centers go all out enticing couch potatoes to become models of fitness. Bad habits strike again Exercising regularly succeeds when it is a habit. My blog post on healthy…
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