A Different King Challenge
I brushed my teeth today!(Okay, I brush my teeth every day. Twice most days, sometimes thrice when I'm riding 200 miles at a go and eating lots of sugar. Tim Johnson taught me that.)I'm more proud of the fact that I brushed my teeth with my right hand. As a right handed person, I've been practicing my ambidexterity over the past two weeks when I broke my right collarbone in early October. But now with my right wing quickly on the mend, I'm out of the sling, pain is subsiding, and I'm on my way to recovery. Brushing teeth, tying shoes, putting on a belt, anything that involves two hands(!) we take for granted right up to the point that the ability is yanked away and you're stuck as the one-armed bandit.I dare you to try this everyday task: put on an oven mitt, sit on your forearm and hand for a good 10 minutes so that you've lost all sensation in that arm, and now try tying your shoes. Not an easy task, but that's effectively what anyone with a brain injury is trying to do, day in and day out. Dad's stroke in 2003 stole so many things from him that we take for granted. His hand resembles a permanent fist, he has no sensation there, but through gritty determination and remarkable patience, he learned to tie his shoes. I remember how proud he was that day. It was pretty awesome.Fast forward to this past weekend and we just completed the sixth annual King Challenge, which I'm extremely proud of. At last tally we had eclipsed $125,000 which brings our total to about $600,000 over the history of the ride which goes to the Krempels Center -- a place for people living with brain injury. With my busted wing, I anticipated being really down in the dumps. The King Challenge is the single biggest highlight of my riding year since it generates such a groundswell of friends, family, sponsors, supporters, neighbors, and just really good people. I told myself that I would put on a brave face and make lemonade from lemons by seeing things I wouldn't normally see, doing things I wouldn't normally do, and just having a different perspective on the day. Easy words to say, but tougher to actually live in the moment.As it turns out, Cannondale is a longtime sponsor of the ride and they had a very plush Slate on display and demo in just my size. I therefore got on that and rode the first very very short bit to escort the mighty peloton out on their 10, 30, or 62 mile rides. Off to the right you can see me in my team issue POC green helmet, black sweatshirt, and jeans. I'm definitely not in for the long haul.
After riding a little ways, I pulled to the side of the road and was among the first roadside cheerleaders.
Purty.
Exactly Tim!
I saw our top notch, race ready support from SRAM
I soon got back on my bike and started backtracking to the start/finish expo. But along the way I ran into my parents. Dad rides his Greenspeed three wheeled steed the 10 mile route -- which some people will point out is 11 miles; I just want to be sure everyone is giving 110% :) And Mom on her trust Cannondale Quick accompanies him year in and year out. Call me a bad son, but I've never actually ridden with the two of them, so I got to ride a short while with them which was really fun. Mom was stoked, but less stoked that I'm snapping photos with one hand on the bar and an already ailing c'bone. Disaster averted. It was a great little family ride.
Bidding them farewell, I successfully made it back to the start/finish and then hopped in the car and sped to the first rest stop where I got to be a roadside marshal and escort the peloton in.
Lots of hellos and photos and smiles and Fluffernutter sandwiches, and once the group rolled out from here, I thanked our volunteers and set on back to the start/finish. I got to see the one mile adaptive tour, called the Doc' King Tour, in honor of Dad, who's also Doctor Ted King and a proud cyclist. It's hot laps around the area where we're based all day, kind of like a crit. Northeast Passage comes out and gets bikes and trikes for people who don't have the ability to ride a traditional bike. Dad used to run about 5 miles every other day right up until his stroke. He says that getting on his Greenspeed is the closest he's been to that euphoric, endorphin rush found through sports.
Zoom zoom
Next I got to see the awesome skills course set up by Seacoast VeloKids, which is another multi-year supporter of the entire day. There are few things that put your heart more at ease than watching kids learn how to ride bikes (...and then watching them clear sweet obstacles like this table top and teeter-totters!).
Normally I'm riding the lead group in, but this time I was on the other side of the finishing barrier and I got to cheer the riders home.
Plus I caught a glimpse of a dinosaur.
The food and beer garden are always such a welcome beacon to the riders funneling back in. La Festa Pizzeria and the Old Salt have been crushing it for years with delicious food. Earth up in Kennebunkport made their first appearance and brought some exquisite fare. Nothing like some poached salmon and buttery soft flank steak to say, "Nice ride today!"
I rode my few miles with former teammates and two standup guys, Joe Dombrowski and Ben King who made the trip north from Virginia. That was a fun reunion.
All in all, it was an truly incredible day. I know injuries suck but I how lucky I am to have a short term ailment. Living with the brain injury is permanent. You can always improve and always get better, but it will be an enormous and defining part of a brain injury survivor's life. So enjoy the moment, enjoy the ride!