My grown son is discovering the joy of cycling :)

[azfiddle]

This just seemed like a good place to share something that has is bright spot in my life these days.

My 25 year old son has had a lot of ups and downs. He has some attention issues and suffers from mild depression. He wasn't able to succeed at college at age 18, and tried and withdrew two semesters in a row. Long story short, getting a dog really helped turn him around, and redirected him into getting a job at Petsmart. He is intelligent and hard-working and has gotten a lot of success and confidence over the last few years, and was able to move out last year.

He had a commuter bike, which was stolen. He hadn't really been riding it much, but wanted to get a new commuter. We helped him upgrade to a Fuji Absolute flat bar road bike and suddenly he is riding to work a couple of times a week (about 3 1/2 miles) and doing recreational rides. He calls me up to ask about routes, and tells me what happened on the rides, and asks me all kinds of things. Of course, my husband and I are doing everything to support his interest, especially knowing how exercise can help reduce depression.

He has mentioned a goal of doing an unsupported bike tour (4-5 days) in the spring, and has increased his mileage to about 20 miles.

I was looking on craigslist for used bike rack for his car, and was intrigued by an ad for an older Novara Randonee at a really good price - my husband had the day off and went to look at it. He just texted me a picture of the bike on our bike rack. We're going to get it fixed up with panniers for his big holiday gift this year. I just feel very happy about it!

[Crankin]

That is great! Have you read the article "Riding is my Ritalin?" It's from Bicyling Mag. This is the kind of story I love to hear.
My older son (not the former racer) started commuting on our old mountain bike a few years ago. He did it through 2 winters, buying himself a single speed, eventually. We fixed up and gave him our other son's classic Serotta road bike, and he was even thinking of racing at one point. Then he bought a house, a little further out from the city, and was riding home one night with a light that wasn't really good enough. He crashed on a pot hole and hasn't ridden much since then. A few weeks ago, he called me and said he was so stressed at work, he was considering going on meds for his ADD (it's never been an issue since he graduated college). I told him to go ride his bike! He solved most of the problem by quitting his job, as they were giving him no support, and going back to his old company. I am still pushing him to ride more than he does now, given DH's family history with cardiac stuff.
I "prescribe" exercise for anxiety and depression on almost every treatment plan I write. I wish more people would follow the recommendations, but for the ones who do, it really is a life saver.

[ny biker]

Thank you for sharing, AZfiddle. I wish him well!

Crankin, really good headlights have become much more affordable. I got one from Bontrager last winter for $100. It lasts about 90 minutes on the brightest setting, longer on the next highest setting which is still bright enough. Maybe getting one for your son would help? I totally agree that exercise is great therapy.

[Crankin]

Oh, we gave him one of our really good headlights after that. We are constantly upgrading, and he gets the hand me downs. One of the reasons he isn't riding that much is that his wife doesn't ride. She is in terrible shape, and while he has gently taken her on easy rides, it's hard for her, as she needs to lose a lot of weight and she is not active. He does have plenty of time to ride on his own or with us, as she works a different schedule as a restaurant general manager. I just want him to get back to a lifestyle of exercising, no matter what he does. He also is a great swimmer and runner, all things he did for awhile, but he really shocked me when he was riding... he was as fast as his brother. Don't know how my kids got such great aerobic capacities!

[azfiddle]

Crankin, I did read that article. When it first came out, I tried to share it with my son, he wasn't really open to it. He pretended to read it but admitted he didn't. It was a very difficult time for him for a few years. He did not want to accept that he needed help - he told me he didn't want to admit he was "broken".... he is in a very different state of mind now. Not perfect, but better. Although he is able to be socially fluent with customers or anyone who starts conversations with him, he has a lot of anxiety about relationships and doesn't have many friends- hasn't really had a girlfriend (he's 25) even though he's kind, responsible, good looking, etc. Sometimes it seems he's been behind and is starting to catch up to his chronological age ...

Anyway- I love hearing his happy plans and reports and I'm looking forward to doing a couple of rides with him when I have my fall break in a couple of weeks.

[emily_in_nc]

That's really cool, azfiddle. I can imagine (even though I am not a parent) that having a child take up an activity you really enjoy and find valuable must feel good. And sounds like it's doing him a lot of good as well!

[Crankin]

AZ, PM me, or send me a message on FB.

[smittykitty]

AZ, Cranking: Nice to read feel good stories about our kids enjoying cycling.

By the way, thanks to the super active young lady our son married, our son never laughs at us in cycling gear anymore; he now owns more than we do. They have both ridden all our major rides with us.

Thanks for sharing and good luck.