This Strange Bike

I ride a three wheel recumbent bike and have for many years. A few years after my head injury I sold my shiny, blue, Schwinn cruiser as I was sure I would never ride again. It would be vintage-cool now, if I had kept it. But after my kids had learned to ride and we were living in a very small town, I picked up a new bike at Costco. I rode that for a few years but I met the pavement fairly regularly.

I can ride a two wheeler but getting started and then stopping can cause problems because of my nonexistent balance. Even walking-a-bike and I don't get along. I lived in a very small, quaint town in Washington where I rode the 2 wheeler, at the end of the school day, to my daughter's middle school to walk home with her. I did that once.

At the time, I thought there would come a time when my balance improved, with hard work of course. And I was willing to do the work. But after years of effort, I came to the conclusion some of the damage to my brain would remain. I realized that the unhurt parts, willing to take on new jobs, had done all they were capable of. So when I ran over that bike bending the front wheel almost 90 degrees, I was not too upset. My balance remains compromised as the skills required to keep me up-right, unassisted have slowly declined since 1991 when I sustained my TBI.

After my divorce, free to do exactly as I wanted, I marched down to George's Bikes in Boise and bought the 3 wheeler I had been considering for some time. It was not the old adult trike, although it was close. The bent (short for recumbent) was heavy and tippy but I loved it, and I pedalled around Boise for miles upon miles.

The bent came with me to Montana where I continued to ride; to Somers, Kila, and up Going to the Sun in Glacier National Park. And when I interviewed for a cross country coaching job, at the middle school, I simply told them I could store my bent at school and ride while the kids ran.  So that's what I did.

But the bent is not fool-proof and I fell on it as well. The last day of cross country practice, one year, I fell and hurt my shoulder. An MRI several months later showed I had torn my rotator cuff. OK, I thought, I simply need a more stable bent. I wanted a Terratrike so I entered a contest to win one. Entrants had to offer something in trade so I sent them a picture of my cross country team, crowded around me on my old trike. Each team member signed a team shirt so we offered that in trade. I did not win so I bought one online because the closest recumbent bike seller is in Idaho.

It is an orange Terratrike Rambler and I recently added a green water bottle holder.  Because the middle school I coach for feeds into both high schools in town, coaches cannot show any preference. The orange does represent the school I went to but the green is there for the other high school. When I ride it around town, I get comments. Everybody that stops me wishes they had one.

Fires burned all over my State this summer and the smoke was unbearable to ride in. But now the skies are clear and my pal Justin has suggested we ride the Cinco Heroica Route which is 110 miles. We'd break it into two days and the 1/2 way point is Hot Springs so at least we'd have a warm dip to look forward to on day one.

We're still in the discussion phase and may decide to ride to Del's Bar in Somers for lunch instead.

The Book Goes On

Still Lexie

By Lexie Miller Wyman

So I submitted my finished book to agents and publishers alike but those efforts were not heartfelt. I wrote "Still Lexie" for myself; it was therapeutic and helped me move on knowing I got my story out. And after writing off and on for 8 year, I simply wanted it done. Scott Publishing, here in Kalispell, will publish it and I'll get 100 copies to do what I want with. Scott will get it on Amazon for me with tag words like head injury, track and field, University of Oregon and Montana so that those interested can read it there or have a book printed and sent to them.

Right now "Still Lexie" is with my editor Heidi Ostrom. Her father George  is a hall of fame radio broadcaster whose station interviewed me upon my return to track and field here and my induction into Oregon's Hall of Fame. George is an icon of the Flathead Valley and reported here for over 60 years. 

The newspaperman was also a photographer, television host, author and public speaker. It is only fitting that Heidi be the one to help me get my finished book computer ready.

I feel the proverbial "weight" shifting from my shoulders but with bare shoulders I won't survive so I have told myself to keep writing, here. I have written in my blog on and off for some time and I smile when I see the readership of posts increase. I think I might be an approval seeker.

For years, I sought the approval of coaches, which was pretty safe, but years later while dating, seeking the approval of questionable men was not. When I look back, those dating days seem chaotic. Newly divorced, I was a middle aged, head injured teacher in my own classroom, as well as high school hurdles coach. I had many goals then, like getting through the day, but writing my book was not high on the list. I pat myself on the back for NOT over-seeking approval from the many odd men I dated.

Finding a mate came off my list after I cancelled my Match.com profile and moved home to Montana. I found and married the splendiferous Dan. I was still struggling in education as an aid. Also, I was coaching middle schoolers and one goal was to do so at the high school level. 

Now, I am no longer doing aid work and have realized the middle school track is where I belong. My book began to call and because life for me is without drama, I've been able to give "Still Lexie," all of my scrambled focus. 

Stay tuned for the actual unveiling!