lost and found in retirement
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 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…
Eating healthy is a key part to my living a healthy and happy life. I call it out in my life vision. I know what it means but struggle living it. The main culprit for me are bad habits I made part of my eating. Bad habits. I wish I could flick a switch and make healthy eating happen. I’ve turned on that switch many…
Yesterday was the twelfth anniversary of my triple coronary bypass. The days preceding and following that day in 2005 have a profound influence on how I live my life today. This experience set off a series of life changes that have led to a happier, more fulfilling life. I struggled to write my annual Facebook post about this life changing experience. This morning the Today…
I was ready for a flat 3 miles as I came out of Edgewater Park following the Lake Erie coast. I had put 10 miles of the Cleveland Rite Aid Half Marathon behind me. I encountered something quite different. The Cleveland Shoreway climbed with every twist and turn. The final grueling mile crested the bridge over the Cuyahoga River. It rewarded me with a downhill run…
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