The Solitary Biker

Last Tuesday, at the northern end of Country Club Road where it winds its way between open fields, I spotted this biker rapidly cycling around and down a curve. I motored by, stopping about a half mile ahead, got out of my car and captured this shot as he sped by me.

As you can see, this is not an ordinary bike. It is designed for handicapped athletes who must use their upper-body strength, their hands and arms to propel themselves along. I hesitate to use the word “handicapped,” because his well-muscled arms were pushing that bike along at a rapid clip, and that man must be in admirable cardio-vascular health. He would, I surmise, make some of us who may consider ourselves in good condition think twice before competing with him on a regular bike.

The other thought that surfaced is to remind myself of how much I can do with what I have, and to stop complaining about what I could do if I had more. I don’t know who this person is. Nevertheless he is a shining light for many of us, an example of what can be overcome, and of what can be done with what is.