Big little moments... So one year ago today, instead of going on a bike ride, Rob took me on a ride to the Emergency Room. I had a racing heart rate and felt...well, felt like I was not going to go home...ever. But it was just a really bad episode of tachycardic A-fib...you know, no big deal. But that started a year of worry and general depression about my health. So I stopped riding my bike. I didn't do as must hiking and exploring. I gained weight and in general lost my way a bit. Now I need to say that what I have is very manageable and nothing big in the grand scheme...but it's first time I've had to slow down and it was scary and humbling. So I shut down. In 2020, I started riding more...just over 900 miles that year....then 2021 the total was close to 2,800 miles. And after my episode, I only managed a little over 300 miles for all of 2022. This didn't help my depression honestly. And I felt broken. But over the past few months, I've talked to people who have helped me to realize that I'm OK. Sure I have an arrhythmia that is permanent. Sure I'm a little slower. But I'm here and I can still do anything, just at an adjusted speed. And I'm going to try starting now to do more, be more active and generally get back to where I was. I want to get there...and that's the biggest thing. So here's to my first 16.75 miles of 2023. And yes I should have done 23, but it got cold on the lakefront. So 16.75 it was. I know this is long, but I needed to get it all out . Thank every one of you that has been there for me in the past twelve months...I couldn't have done it without you. #bearsonbikes #alton #altonthebike #fattybikeride #ridelocal #bikelife #that38mmlife #specializedbikes #ontheroad #onthestreets #igbike #igersbike #gaybear #fitfat #year54 #panaracergravelking #bikechicago #shelteronabike #tobetterdays (at Chicago, Illinois) https://www.instagram.com/p/ConumcGLbUD/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
