Taking It Back

The year I lost my Dad to cancer my Mom was diagnosed. At the time Lance Armstrong had just won his second Tour de France and was making headlines across America. This was very inspirational to my Mom at the time, but I think made a greater impact on me. After reading a few chapters I decided that I was going to buy a bike, quit smoking and start pedaling away from cancer.

I had always had a love for cycling, but had not been on a bike since I was a teenager. I took to it immediately and began riding just about every day. The more I rode the better I felt. I never imagined that such a simple thing could do so much. Riding my bike was not only strengthening my body, but nurturing my soul. The more I rode the better I felt and the stress and emotion that comes along with loosing a parent and watching another one head down the same path was somehow put on pause. And when the ride was finally over I was centered enough to take care of my business without falling apart.

Sadly, for my Mom she happened be 1 of 1% that could not do chemo and she died in December of 2001. In 2002 myself and 15 others rode our bikes 200 miles in 1 day from Austin to Mustang Island (Port Aransas) in their [my parents] memory. This was the day I took my life back. This was the day that I said cancer wasn't going to get me. So for me, sorry Lance, it is about the bike. So far it has saved my life...in more ways than I can count.