Mountain Biking In 1887

What? Mountain Biking in 1887? Sure! We had mountains. We had bikes. A picture is worth a thousand words. Sometimes as a writer doing research you come across the most interesting finds. For me, the picture below is a treasure.

  Edited from the image http://memory.loc.gov/master/pnp/cph/3g00000/3g03000/3g03000/3g03043u.tif found on the Library of Congress website.

Here’s the explanation of the picture from Wikipedia:  

"Bicycling", a ca.1887 color print showing one of the few ways in which it was socially acceptable for women to ride bicycles. The print shows a number of men riding big-wheel or "penny-farthing" bicycles, while a woman is riding a three-wheeled cycle, which appears to have little steering ability beyond manually braking one of the rear wheels slightly more than the other. The woman is probably riding in front partly for the reason that if she rode in back, the men would constantly have to be looking behind them, to make sure that they didn't quickly open up large gap by going much faster than she could.

Note how the man on the far right has his legs over the handlebars as he descends the hill to ensure that, should the large front wheel of the bicycle he is riding hit a rock, be caught in a rut or otherwise become unable to turn, he would be thrown off feet first, as opposed to head first ("taking a header") if seated with his feet on the pedals.

Tagging on to yesterday’s blog, I’ve often wondered “What Would Jesus Ride?” In the story, The Road Of Life, Jesus is riding a tandem bike; first as the Stoker in the back position, and then in the front position as Captain. That’s a wonderful image. We want Him to be the Captain of our lives.

But what if there wasn’t a tandem bike around? What would Jesus ride? Would he ride a mountain bike? A road bike? A BMX bike? A hybrid? An old beat up bike? A shiny new bike? A rowing bike? A track bike? A penny farthing? A recumbent bike? A touring bike? A sociable? An electric bike? A folding bike? An exercise bike? A stair-cycle? A conference bike?

Bikes . . . the creative mind of God shining through man’s inventions. Some of the bikes above you may have never heard of . . . like a conference bike where seven people face each other and ride and talk like in the photo below. Now there’s a piece of engineering! 

Photo and invention by Eric Staller

 Or how about the "Sociable"? A two person bike, but the two riders are side by side! 

Photo By Dale Hammerschmidt

Or how about a rowing bike? All the forward motion is done by pulling on the handlebar.

Photo by Richard Keatinge 

Or how about the recumbent bike? Every human powered vehicle speed record ever set has used the recumbent design. They were outlawed from the Tour De France back in the mid-1900's because they were too fast!

Public Domain  

Hmmmm . . . so many choices, and we've only scratched the surface of cycling!

So much creativity. 

What would Jesus Ride? 

Tell me what YOU think!

Jesus' Sandal On The Pedal

This is one of my favorite pieces of writing. Certainly it's an appropriate one to include in this blog about Writing A Life, While Riding A Bike.  

The Road Of Life may have first been quoted in the 1987 book, Holy Sweat, by Tim Hansel.  I came across it a couple of years ago when I started our Christian cycling club, "Outspokin' For Jesus!" It's a wonderful parable about trust, faith, living a full abundant life, and having a truly personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Yeah, I'm usually a little teary-eyed by the time I finish reading it. Trust doesn't always come easy for me.

Everywhere I've seen it on the Internet, its posted with the author unknown . . . apparently he or she wants it that way. May have something to do with giving gifts away. Still and all, I'd love to meet him or her someday and go for a bike ride together, just as a way of saying thanks. Enjoy the ride . . . Enjoy the road.  

 

The Road of Life

(Author Unknown)

 

At first, I saw God as my observer, my judge,
keeping track of the things I did wrong,
so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die.
He was out there sort of like a president.
I recognized his picture when I saw it,
but I really didn’t know him.

But later on when I met Jesus,
it seemed as though life were rather like a bike ride.
But it was a tandem bike,
and I noticed that Jesus was in the back helping me pedal.
I don’t know just when it was
that he suggested we change places,
but life has not been the same since.
When I had control, I knew the way.
It was rather boring, but predictable ...
It was the shortest distance between two points.

But when he took the lead,
He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains,
and through rocky places at breakneck speeds.
It was all I could do to hang on!
Even though it looked like madness,
He said, “Pedal!”
I worried and was anxious and asked,
“Where are you taking me?”
He laughed and didn’t answer,
and I started to learn trust.
I forgot my boring life
and entered into the adventure.
And when I’d say, “I’m scared,”
He’d lean back and touch my hand.

He took me to people with gifts that I needed,
gifts of healing, acceptance, and joy.
They gave me gifts to take on my journey,
my Lord’s and mine.

And we were off again.
He said, “Give the gifts away,
they’re extra baggage, too much weight.”
So I did, to the people we met,
and I found that in giving I received,
and still our burden was light.
I didn’t trust him at first,
to control my life.
I thought he’d wreck it.
But he knows bike secrets,
knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners,
knows how to jump to clear high rocks,
knows how to fly to shorten scary passages.

And I’m learning to shut up and pedal,
in the strangest places.
And I’m beginning to enjoy the view
and the cool breeze on my face
with my delightful constant companion, Jesus Christ.

And when I’m sure I just can’t do anymore,
He just smiles and says ... "Pedal!"

Phun With Photos!

Speaking of colorful ideas!  My old buddy, David, played around with my photo and came up with his own interpretation, adding a few highlights and some color here and there. I like it. We really did have color in those days, we just weren't so good at recording it!

Below is another vintage photo of a guy on a bike. One of my favorites. It was taken in Santa Barbara of a guy named Albert. Someone recently said of my blog, "I can't believe you think of all these things while riding your bike." 

I guess I'm not the only one who thinks while he's riding a bike. I certainly wouldn't put myself in the same class as Albert. Albert was a lot smarter than me. "I thought of that while riding my bike," said Albert Einstein, on his theory of relativity.  Another of his famous quotes also could be the subtitle of this blog. "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving."  

Time to go for a ride with my Christian cycling club, Outspokin' For Jesus!  I've got some thinking and 'balancing' to do!

In The Blink Of An Idea

Last Spring I wrote a novel. 81,052 words. 289 pages in 7 weeks using the SOTP model - Seat Of The Pants. I’m inspired. I’m passionate. I’m writing purely from the heart. The story is just pouring out of me. This is a great book. I’m disciplined. I’m on task. I finish the novel.

Six weeks later I go to a Christian Writing Conference and I discover that the book I had written by the seat of my pants, is pretty darn engaging. At this kind of conference you get to ‘pitch’ your idea to agents, publishers, authors, etc. Four out of five people I pitch it to want me to send them more. But over the four-day conference I realize the book is nowhere near being ready to be seen by professionals in the field. I go back and kindly thank each one for their request to see more of my work, but I share that I have learned so much at the conference that I need to spend some more time with it before sending it to them to review. I had discovered that my seat of the pants approach was . . . well, let’s just say I had been wearing the wrong pants! Or maybe I was sitting in the wrong seat! My book was pretty heavily plot driven as opposed to character driven.

So I go back to square one, and start restructuring the book, but it’s a really slow, distracted process. Then I have the cycling accident that I described a couple of blogs ago, In The Blink Of An Eye. While I’m resting up after the accident I suddenly get the blink of an idea to write this blog. Try my hand at writing a little non-fiction. So my writing career takes on a whole new direction. It doesn’t have to look a certain way, right?

Ten days later I discover there’s a “Stats” tab on this website. Being the analytical type I start to revel in all the stuff I can see. I can see that there have been over 700 pageviews of my blogs. I can see how many times each of my blogs have been viewed. I can see they have been viewed in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australia, and Uganda. I can see that 37% are browsing with Internet Explorer, 28% are using Firefox, and 20% are using Safari. I can see that 52% are using Windows and 38% are using Macintosh platforms. I can see that 196 viewers have been referred from Facebook. I’m starting to think if I dig deep enough into this “Big Brother” pile of stats I’ll be able to see what people are wearing when they’re reading my blogs!

The point of all this simply is that sometimes you’re riding along, going down the road of life in a certain direction and then all the sudden you change course. It could be slamming down on the pavement at 18 mph In The Blink Of An Eye that causes you to change directions. Or it could be that still small voice whispering in your ear.

Those of you following this blog are going to know that I’m going to say it’s that Ghostwriter and Ghost Rider thing at work in me once again. Guiding my life, directing my purpose, giving me hope each day.

Where Two Or More Are Gathered On The Internet

The afternoon of my cycling accident, (see my In The Blink Of An Eye blog), I’m lying in bed with ice packs on five places on my body and bandages on six places. I’ve counted and recounted the 12 places total where there is no longer any skin. I read somewhere that our bodies replace one billion cells each hour. I figure my body is working overtime.

Facebook is an online party and I tend to live my life out at that party. It’s my own personal reality show. So I posted a notice about my biking accident and a flood of comments show up in my mailbox. Some are sympathetic. Some are comical. Some are prayers for my return to full health. I start contemplating contemporary versions of familiar Bible verses, like: “Where two or more are gathered on the internet, ‘there am I.”  (See my What If God Were On Facebook? blog). There’s a whole virtual church praying and caring for each other on Facebook.

Just to give you an idea of the breadth, depth, and power of cyberspace support I received, here are a few examples of how my social media community kicked into high gear . . .

“We need to design a costume for you. One with lots of padding!” (Delia)

“Good news Ron, that you are doing well, but listen, I know I can talk to my grandson to let you use his trike.  It’s a lot safer to ride!  All kidding aside stay safer! I’ve seen your exercise room in your home. May not be such a bad idea to use that exercycle in there. At least there are no train tracks and Reina will know where you are, where you are going and where you have been! Saves Reina doing the picking up "Humpty Dumpty" routine, huh!....Bahaha!”  (George) 

“Keep the tires down and the handlebar up...sort of a NASCAR for cycling thingy.” (Brian)

 “Ohhh...yikes...ouch! I can vividly picture this happening, just like a bad movie! So glad you weren't seriously hurt and let the healing begin.” (Terri)

“That deserves a frozen yogurt with extra sprinkles~praise!” (Delia)

“WOW. Glad you are relatively OK” (Mark)

“My horses don't trip on railroad tracks. People tell me horses are dangerous. I see you guys flying down hills with those cute little tight pants. Snicker, tee hee!” (Vicki)

“Wow Ron. You are working those angels overtime! Take care of yourself! Glad you are ok.” (Lisa)

“So glad you are OK Ron and love that you found blessings in your mishap!! Sorry to hear about your bike.” (Kim)

“My goodness, Ron. I'm so sorry you got hurt. I know you'll be sore for a while. Take care. Thank the Good Lord you didn't get hurt any worse.” (Ginny)

“You know I was pretty much amazed by you in high school (we won't state how long ago that was), but I am continuously and joyously amazed at you now that I am grown up (HA HA!!!) Your gifts are many and you are blessed because you are a BLESSING! Thank you for still sharing your gifts!”   PS. 63 miles on a bike ... are you kidding me? Amazing!” (Karen)

“Perhaps you should have stopped @ 62 miles! LOL” (Jan)

“Sudden stops with high inertia are not good!” (Jim)

“Ouch!” (Venus)

“You've been thrown a couple of "curve balls" here lately. So glad you are okay. Could the silver lining be that now you might get a new bike?” (Barbara)

“Be careful when crossing railroad tracks!” (Ellen)

“Wow! How scary! Super glad you are ok!”  (Melissa)

“Glad U R OK”  (Troy)

“Sorry I am just now realizing to say I am glad you are ok! Take Care!”  (Dale)

“Glad you are ok! Love your take on it.”  (Srta)

“Glad you are okay - be CAREFUL . . .”    (Karyn)

“Ouch! Feel better soon!”  (Jennifer)

“If it doesn't kill you, it only makes you stronger! Really glad you're okay, Ron (that feels weird to call you that). Didn't want you to think I took the fall lightly. Hope everything heals well too!”  (Mackie)

“Sorry to hear that. I'm sure relieved you didn't have more serious issues. However 10 + skidmarks ain't nothing pretty. 8-( Take it easy man!  I'm really happy your alright Mr. Bolles. Make sure you take good care of your wounds. Infection can enter the body even with the smallest of cuts. So please take care. God Bless & Goodnight!”  (Erica)

 “Ron - You are amazing!”  (Bonnie)

“Oh no! I'm glad you're all right, but still.... :(   (Andria)

“Oh my! What a scare... I'm glad your ok :)    (Lucia)

“Glad you’re relatively okay”  (Midge)

“Glad you are OK, heal fast, two weeks until our first choir practice”   (Leonard)

“I am impressed by your attitude and am glad our creator had you cradled, but take it easy! You still have a lot of music and blessings to offer!!!”  (Cecelia)

And one of my favorite comments when someone saw me bandaged up the next day . . . 

“Thriller video audition coming up?”  (Steve)

In The Blink Of An Eye

I could have titled this “Humpty Dumpty went on a ride. Humpty Dumpty had a big slide!”

A month ago I had a pretty serious accident on my bicycle. I was by myself in the 63rd mile of a bike ride when the front wheel of my bike gets caught in a railroad track and in the blink of an eye I switch from vertical to horizontal at 18 miles per hour. Now I learned long ago as a little kid that riding a bike vertically is a much better way to go down the street than riding it horizontally. Keep the handlebar up and the tires down.

What was I doing riding along a railroad track? Well, it’s an old remnant of a track that I’m guessing was laid down in the late 1800’s and is mostly buried in the asphalt. I was in a heavy industrial area and I had a choice to make. Take my chance with a semi truck that was backing out of a driveway or slip into the lane with the partially buried railroad track.

I’m not quite sure how far I skidded but I counted 12 spots (there’s that analytical OCD thing again!) where I no longer had skin! The amazing thing was that I had no broken bones. Seriously, for someone my age to hit the pavement at that speed wearing little more than underwear (you know what us bikers wear!), it's a miracle that I didn't get a much bigger hurt. Several of my friends have ended up with broken collar bones, arms, wrists, etc. The trick is that you’re supposed to go down with the bike and not put your hands or feet out to try and break the fall. That’s when you end up with broken bones.

Now understand I’m not saying I meant to go down with the bike. It just happened so fast that I don’t think I had a choice. As I hit the pavement I had one of those slow motion moments of crisis clarity where I literally felt the hand of God cradle me the moment I hit the ground. There was this peaceful soft voice in my head saying “This is going to hurt, but you’ll be okay. I’m here with you.” The Holy Ghost Rider was with me again. (See yesterday’s blog). In that instant I relearn that HIS grace is sufficient for me!

Its as if sometimes God has to slam me into the pavement at 18 mph to get my attention. So I understand that he wants me to trust him. So I remember that he loves me. So I experience firsthand the power that he put into my being. So I remember again that he has always been faithful. So I relearn that His grace is sufficient for me. To realize what Francis Chan says . . .  

"When you pray, your prayers are heard by the same God who answered Moses' prayers for water in the desert, the same God who gave Abraham and his barren wife a son, and the same God who made the slave Joseph second in power only to Pharaoh" (Who are we to think that God can no longer perform these miracles in our own life? He IS still that BIG and that GREAT!)

In an instant I pick myself up off the asphalt along with the pieces of my bike that have gone flying and this 'good Samaritan' nearby takes me in to a metal shop and helps me get cleaned up. He finds some first aid cream for the big wounds and makes sure I’m okay. Shakily I get on the bike (gotta get back on and ride, right?), and I go along for nearly a mile before having to shift gears. That’s when I realize the bike isn’t going to get me home. This ride is over. Going from 18 miles per hour vertically to 0 miles per hour horizontally is pretty tough on a bike, too.

I put in a call to my chauffeur-concierge doctor-wife, Reina, and I tell her “I’m done. Can you come pick me up at the Nature Center?” Now this is very unusual for me. I ride over 3000 miles a year and very rarely do I ever call Reina to come pick me up. It was 95 degrees that day and she figures after five hours of riding I’m half-baked. (Well, maybe I am half-baked, but that’s another blog!)  She arrives about 20 minutes later and sees the blood pouring down my leg and the tears on my face.

So why had I cried while I was sitting at the bus stop waiting for her to come pick me up? Probably lots of reasons. The emotional and physical trauma. My bike that I’ve ridden over 16,000 miles is thrashed. My body hurts. I’m not able to finish what I started out to do . . . all that. But mostly, because I realize that I am blessed beyond measure.

Then I do one of those ‘guy things’. Reina is holding me, comforting me, and I tell her, “This is going to sound crazy to you, but we have to drive straight to the bike store to see if they can fix my bike!”

Ghostwriter and Ghost Rider

Just a short, singular thought today but it sets up several concepts I’ll be talking about in the next couple of blogs. First things, first. This blog is called Life Cycles and carries the subtitle Writing A Life While Riding A Bike. “Why, how clever!” you say. 

So I’m thinking about this as I ride my bike today and it occurs to me that a ghostwriter is a professional writer who is paid to write books, articles, stories, reports, or other texts that are officially credited to another person. Get it? Got it? Good!  Now stay with me on this.

When I say Ghost Rider two things come to most people’s minds. The famous line from the 1986 movie, Topgun . . .

            Maverick:                         Tower, this is Ghost rider requesting a flyby.
            Air Boss Johnson:           That’s a negative Ghost rider, the pattern is full.

Or the other thing that comes to many people's minds is the Marvel Comics superhero Ghost Rider featured twenty-one years later in the movie of the same name. In the movie version, stunt motorcyclist Johnny Blaze gives up his soul to become a hellblazing vigilante, to fight against power hungry Blackheart, the son of the devil himself. Gotta love the forthrightness of the graphic novel medium!

Ahh, but that's not what comes to my mind. (You knew that was coming, right?) Here’s my take on it, a third thing comes to my mind. (Remember, your first answer may not be your best answer!)

If I’ve accepted Christ as my savior and the Holy Ghost is therefore living in me, then it follows that the Holy Ghost is ever present with me. He (or She) is always around. He/She writes with me. He/She rides with me. I’m never alone. I am a new being in Christ and my thoughts and actions are shared, impacted, designed, influenced, controlled, inspired, ad infinitum by the one and only Holy Ghost.

So as a writer and a rider I have an ever-present companion. A ghost writer and a ghost rider. Stay tuned. We’ll see how this plays out in my next few blogs!