“Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of riding a bike.” This quote is often attributed to John F. Kennedy, despite no clear record of its origin. Whether it was said by the late President or not, it is a sentiment shared by most anyone who grew up pedaling away their summer days. When asked about childhood memories of being on a bike, people often mention freedom. With a bike, you could just set out … for nowhere in particular. With a bike and only a little bit of effort, you could explore. Time spent on the bicycle also imprinted a very vivid physical memory on many. Feeling the rushing air against their face often reminds our participants of those carefree days of bike-enabled freedom. For others who ride with us, it may be the first time they’ve experienced that wonderful sensation. Cycling is an activity that brings feelings of joy and playfulness. And, in the case of a ride on our Van Raam Wheelchair Bicycle (the trike), it also brings a feeling of friendship. Unique in that it provides a shared experience, the trike brings the pilot (the person pedaling) and the wheeler (the person riding in the front seat) together in conversation and camaraderie.
The conversations that are had while on the trike leave a lasting impression on our volunteers as well as on the wheelers. When we ask volunteers about their experiences with Portland Wheelers, they don’t remark about the distance covered, the cool equipment, or the number of rides they took. They talk about moments. The shared experiences. The conversations.
Volunteer Matt Hollyday shared one of his most memorable rides with a woman who was taking her first ever trip on the trike and was a bit nervous at the prospect. As they began the ride and shared conversation, she mentioned that she had been a teacher and where she taught just happened to be in Matt’s town. When she told Matt her last name, he realized she had been his son’s 2nd grade teacher. “And at that point she totally loosened up, relaxed and almost kicked her feet up. It was so cool.”
Cindy Carmichael finds her volunteer time spent with wheelers immensely enriching. “I get ten times back what I give. I love, love, love, the wheelers that we take. I’ve taken everyone from a 105-year-old lady to riding safety beside a little blind girl and there’s nothing like it. There just isn’t.” Cindy perfectly sums up the idea that a ride with Portland Wheelers is so much more than a bike ride. “It really is not about the biking. It’s about the people. The wheelers are really the ones that matter. And you have to remember that no matter what state they may be in at this point, they have a life. And they’ve had a life. And they have a lot to share still. Just listen. You just have to listen. That’s all it takes. And it will make your day. It really will.”
Sometimes, this joyous shared experience doesn’t happen in, let’s just say, ideal conditions. Volunteer, Rod Wendt, recounts a somewhat soggier experience. “We were out riding and it started to rain. The wheeler in the lead trike said, ‘bring it on!’ and that set the tone for the entire return trip in the rain. People were getting wet, people had their hands in the air, people were laughing … it was so much fun!”
Whether we’re helping bring back those memories of the wind in the hair and the freedom of riding a bike or we’re creating new memories and new friendships on the trike, the ‘magic’ of every Portland Wheelers ride is in its opportunity for meaningful connection.
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