Becoming/being, disabled?

[Sylvia]

Lovely posts, Sylvia, especially this last one. Thanks. And watching the Paralympics is a blast. So many athletes there who can do things I can't do! I used to do my swim workouts at a pool where a young woman with one leg trained. She was an absolutely gorgeous swimmer, poetry in motion. And the foot on her prosthetic leg had a pedicure (red). I always wondered how she did in the games that next year but the pool closed down before I could meet her and ask her name.

Thanks salsabike,

I'm a little afraid I may have taken over Pax's thread here. And that wasn't my intention.

I do think that when we are exposed to the possibilities that exist, then maybe we can start to form alternate images of what it means to be disabled, something that is not so limiting.
Something that allows all of us to feel good in our own skin.

[Pax]

Not at all, Sylvia, I wanted to hear other people's thoughts and perspectives. I appreciate you sharing.

[blackhillsbiker]

The hardest thing for me is coming to grips that my mind bites off more than my body can chew. I would love to mountain bike and I miss my flexibility so much! Yoga is painful but necessary. My biking is now paths and trails, not singletrack. My spine can't endure any pounding. I've moved to steel bikes which has been so much better. I almost gave up on drop bars until I found the Rove and had a good fitting. Even so, I know my days on a regular bike are numbered. Hiking is death on my hip. Still, I'm above ground, enjoying the sunshine, and zipping along as best I can.

[emily_in_nc]

The hardest thing for me is coming to grips that my mind bites off more than my body can chew. I would love to mountain bike and I miss my flexibility so much! Yoga is painful but necessary. My biking is now paths and trails, not singletrack. My spine can't endure any pounding. I've moved to steel bikes which has been so much better. I almost gave up on drop bars until I found the Rove and had a good fitting. Even so, I know my days on a regular bike are numbered. Hiking is death on my hip. Still, I'm above ground, enjoying the sunshine, and zipping along as best I can.

Have you tried a recumbent? I am thrilled that you found your Rove, but sometimes it is nice to have a couple of bikes to alternate so you work different body parts differently. I have a cranky hip myself from a serious bike accident, and although I am still able to ride a road bike, I have cranked the handlebars up quite a bit on both of mine. And I would love to own a recumbent as well, but we don't have a way of carrying one in/on our motorhome since we already have six bicycles between the two of us.

[blackhillsbiker]

I haven't seriously looked at recumbents yet but I have given them some thought. I'll continue to explore ways to stay in the saddle as my body ages and changes. I can't bear the thought of inactivity.

[Sky King]

Not to go completely off topic but as much as the DH cringes when I say this. I could see the benefits of owning an electric assist bike when I get to the point that biking is a challenge. Had a guy in the shop the other day who has heart issues and he said the assist has enabled him to keep pedaling!

[Helene2013]

Not to go completely off topic but as much as the DH cringes when I say this. I could see the benefits of owning an electric assist bike when I get to the point that biking is a challenge. Had a guy in the shop the other day who has heart issues and he said the assist has enabled him to keep pedaling!

See...husband tells me it is something I may want to look into in the future if it can help me climb hills or give me the little push I need when facing challenging winds with my knee issues and help in keeping me active. I am totally NOT going to get such a bike (in my mind for the time being at least - I live in denial what can I say. hihi). My fear would be that once you get used to the bike "pushing" you, you get lazy and not pedal on harder (still doable) parts. We saw a tv program where they were showing the plusses of owning such bike. I'm just not there yet. If I can't pedal my own way, I'll have to find something else to do. One day I may have knee replacement but not there yet and will push it until I have no other option. Until I can cycle as I do now, it will be a "real" bike. It's hard to compare the past-today-future but I do try to enjoy and live the moment as every day over is another day towards getting older and older. hihi I'm good now and it is sufficient for my needs.