making blind children giggle is among the best.
An organization supporting blind athletics asked for our help to give blind school kids a chance to ride tandem in a competitive time trial. Below is one of their teachers, a man of limited sight himself, doing a test run with one of our race team members.
The student athletes were between 12 and 15 years of age and participated in a number of athletics to complete their physical education requirements. One student explained that facilities for their impairment don't exist in public schools simply because it is not required. Their enthusiasm was contagious. I was too busy letting them stoke me around the 1 mile time trial to get any good "action" photos but it was impressive.
All I had to do was tell them I needed a little help and they were pushing me right over the hill with a yelp and a giggle I wouldn't hear from a spandex hamster thrown down a mountain pass. The kids were in tune with the course and commented on things I had tuned out for years. They knew we were passing the lake from the sound of the fountain nearby, one commented on the beautiful wind chimes. What? I had to listen again, it was the sound of the hardware on the 4 flagpoles at the edge of a soccer field. I couldn't hear beauty in that until she mentioned it. I had dismissed it and simply failed to listen.
This little escapade occurred right on the eve of Kalamazoo Bike Week. Every year in May we have a week long celebration of cycling in our little city and the day after getting my attitude renewed we had an opening ceremonial ride with the Mayors of our adjoining cities.
This year lurking in the background was our US Congressman taking a chance on pressing some flesh and making an appearance. It has become that important, this bicycling thing. Even our
Republican Representative has bitten the bullet and admitted that it's good for him, or his job anyway.
Republican Representative has bitten the bullet and admitted that it's good for him, or his job anyway.
He wasn't asked to sign any autographs but I assume that's what
the guy in the Nutcase was doing over there.
About 40 people came for the casual and ceremonial kick off ride.
It may have been a political photo op, but it was encouraging to hear our
mayor tell us we should demand more from them.
We have a full week of activities scheduled here in our little corner of the mid west and it is inspiring to see so many people come together over two wheels.
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