Oldest brother woke me up with the doorbell this morning with this, “You just get up? You know what time it is?” Yes, I just got up, I thought, and I had no idea what day or what time it was. I recently purchased an stationary exercise bike and that thing is as good as a double dose of Tylenol PM at bedtime. I put the bike together Friday. Didn’t cuss but did clutch my pearls a few times trying to connect the tension wire to the pedal controls. I finally finished and put the seat on the lowest position and boy that was a mistake.

I pedaled off and my right knee felt the pain of natural childbirth and a thousand Comanche arrows. Thought for a nano second, I was trapped on the bike and might need an ambulance. Brief as the pain was it took my breath away. I’ve had trouble with my right knee for years. I walked three miles a day till I moved to Roanoke. Since I’ve been here my only walking I’ve done is in the yard with my dog Penelope.

I live in world of concrete here and that kills my knee. Let’s just say that first pedal got the kinks out of my knee, I moved the seat up two notches and I’m riding three miles a day. I know that’s not much but I’m gonna add a mile each week till I get up to ten. After that I might go for the gold in the Me Maw Olympics. Tomorrow will be the four miles a day’s beginning. I’ll probably have to do two miles in the morning and two miles at night for a few days. It’s a little uncomfortable after about a mile and a half but I can already tell a difference with less pain in my knee and I can straighten out my leg in the bed without having a charlie horse. I’ve also learned the miracle effects of frankincense and myrrh oil for aches and arthritis pain. My friend told me about it and it works great!

My son caught me speeding along on the bike this morning without my hands on the handlebars, my eyes shut, reminiscing about my childhood. He had a stroke and lectured me about holding on to the handle bars. I wasn’t listening to him, I was back on my unicycle pedaling to the city library to get some books. I would ride home from the library with four books on each side in my arms. I’d get the funniest double take looks when folks realized I was on a unicycle.

I was also remembering all the bicycling I did as a child with my friend Chip. We practically live on our bikes back then in the summers. I’d speed down the hills, my hands in the air. Can’t remember if Chip could ride without holding on. I told Stew I was practicing so I could buy a new unicycle. He says, “You are too old for a unicycle. Where’s your suitcase? It’s time for Shady Oaks.” Probably be easier to get a unicycle at Shady Oaks than it is here!

“Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of riding a bike.” — John F. Kennedy