I have known KT since way back. A true cyclist, KT was a fast guy. Road, off road, whatever. I thought I did big rides? Naw. KT did big rides. He became one of my go-to guys for cycling related wisdom and advice.
A couple of years ago, he had his dirt bike land on his leg and broke it so badly, that combined with a post-op infection, nearly cost him his leg. Two years of surgeries, wheelchairs, crutches, limping and now, riding. His left quad is half the size of his right one. He does not have full extention/flexion in his knee. He is signed up for Vision Quest next year, something he has completed 3 times now, and one of the hardest one day race events anywhere for someone with TWO good legs.
Yesterday he chased me over four hours of demanding singletrack and never fell behind or complained, in fact I could barely gap him. He had ridden five days in a row and was stoked to be out there that day on his bike.
KT is the man.
Sunday morning I drug my son out the door at 07:30 and joined a group/family ride in the local canyons with the promise of breakfast pancakes afterwards. It was cold at first, finger numbing cold, and then it does what only a desert can do, when the sun hits the hillsides and it warms up like an Easybake oven. Yesterday it was 93*. Ah, So Cal.
He hung with his peers, all the boys struggling up the climbs, and then zoomed the downhills, yelling "this is awesome!". Watching them together, about 6 young boys soon to be men, I was so pleased just to see him having a great time on his bike. The chocolate chip pancakes were good, too.
Both days I enjoyed my ride, but the real stoke was from watching others and the fun that two wheels were bringing into their lives. I mentioned to KT that if he had not been an athlete and had been Joe Regular, he may have never recovered from that injury, never gotten out of that wheelchair or off those crutches. It was the pull of the bike, the trail, the hurt, the pain, the joy of two wheels that made the difference.
It was two wheels that brought such fun into the Sunday morning of a 14 year old boy and his dad, only a slice in time on the way to adulthood, but a very good slice it was.
Weekend stoke.
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1 comment:
Good stuff. The want, desire, need to ride a bike can carry one through some rough spots in life, and give us a real reason to carry on!
As someone who has heard the reaper whispering my name, twice, I love these stories! Good work, KT! Kudos to you, grannygear for spreading the joy to old friends, new, young riders, and anyone who will listen.
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