It All Started With One Ride!
Updated: Aug 12, 2019
The joy of biking was thought to be taken from John Murphy since his diagnosis of Stage IV Melanoma in 2010. Now he can experience his beloved Colorado Springs and mountains again from the e-bike saddle! He took me on a ride in late May and we decided we just had to share this with people who come to this great city for vacation or to locals who want to ride in a different way!
It was a cool, but sunny day in late May. In the process of getting just the right e-bike he happened to have two e-bikes laying around. We made plans and headed out! I was delighted from the start, but the steep incline from our house was just the beginning! I couldn't believe how comfortable the ride was and then when we started our ascent up North Cheyenne Canyon Road I was absolutely smiling from ear to ear. It wasn't easy by any means, but it was far more possible!
“Cyclists see considerably more of this beautiful world than any other class of citizens. A good bicycle, well applied, will cure most ills this flesh is heir to.” – Dr K.K. Doty
We wound up to the closed portion of the Gold Camp road and started on the old railroad track. We cruised on up from pavement to dirt and heavy gravel with stability. We ended up going past all the hikers, runners and bikers and went far into the mountains about 15 miles. It was delightful! I couldn't get over how we could go so far without a great amount of time and energy. We also were unobtrusive unlike motorcycles both in sound and in our tracks. The large tires, disperse the weight and are relatively gentle on the trail.
When I got back I was converted. I originally thought e-biking was a form of "cheating" and that it would be too easy. I had started riding an old touring bike back and forth from home and work. I live on a mountain that Olympian cyclists train on and it is very difficult. I worked really hard day in and day out to get to the point where I didn't have to walk. However, it took time and dedication. I ended up not riding into year 3, because I didn't have enough time and an injury set me back too. The e-bike got me back on a bike and makes me peddle, which feels amazing! I can make it as difficult as I wish while I have much fun too!
We traveled almost 30 miles and had a dang good time seeing country we wouldn't have ordinarily been able to see! I got to ride a bike with my father who thought he would never ride a bike again. This is the beauty of the e-bike. Enjoy the ride!