
     ,,BIG ,,5 ,,6,,RIDE ,,! ,,BIKE
             0,D\G ,ELLIOTT

  ,D\G ,ELLIOTT LIVES 9 ,I[A--HAV+ MOV$
"! F ,NEVADA1 ": HE 0 PRESID5T (! ,N,NAL
,F$],N (! ,BL ( ,NEVADA4 ,9 ! FOLL[+
/ORY HE REVISITS A FAMILI> ,K]NEL ,BOOK
!ME3 ,:AT1 2Y ! TRADI;NAL 8BL;S SKILLS0
IS REQUIR$ TRULY 6OV]COME ! LIMIT,NS
IMPOS$ 0BL;S8 ,"H IS H[ ,D\G ANSW]S T
"Q3
  ,"O ( MY E>LIE/ MEMORIES IS ( MY F\R?
BIR?"D :5 MY P>5TS GAVE ME A NEW %9Y R$
BICYCLE4 ,! BIKE 0 M$IUM SIZ$1 B X 0 /
TOO BIG =A F\R-YE>-OLD4 ,MY "F TRI$
6ADAPT X 0MAK+ TRA9+ :EELS =! BACK :EEL
& MADE BLOCKS =! P$ALS S T ,I CD R1* !M4
,! TRA9+ :EELS CAUS$ ME 6L1N EI 6! "R OR
LEFT ( C5T]1 &! P$AL BLOCKS WD SP9 9/1D
( REMA9+ /1DY :5 ,I PU%$ !M4
  ,I SOON LO/ 9T]E/ 9 TRY+ 6LE>N H[
6RIDE MY NEW BIKE4 ,MY "F REMOV$ ALL !
ADAPTIVE EQUIP;T & TOLD ME ,I CD LE>N H[
6RIDE :5 ,I 0 BIG 5\<4 ,:5 ,I WD SEE O!R
KIDS RID+ _! BIKES1 ! IMAGE (! %9Y R$
BIKE WD HAUNT ME & SOON ,I 0 PU%+ X
AL;GSIDE A ROCK WALL 0\R H\SE S T ,I CD
GET ON ! WALL & M.T ! BIKE1 !N PU% (F F
! WALL4 ,I 0 DET]M9$ 6BE BIG 5 6RIDE !
BIKE4
  ,AT F/ ,I WD COA/ J A LL & !N FALL (F
9 ! GRASS4 ,I 3T9U$ ? PROCESS1 & EA* "T
,I 0 GO+ FUR!R & FUR!R 2F A CRA% WD
O3UR4 ,NOBODY 9 ! NEI<BORHOOD--P>5TS OR
O!R KIDS--?"\ ? TRIAL & ]ROR WAY ( LE>N+
0 UNUSUAL OR BAD OR /UPID4 ,BIKE RID+ IS
A SKILL T "EY"O HAS 6LE>N 0MAK+ MISTAKES
& FALL+ (F4 ,& "S"TS Y H 6GR[ 96X4 ,Y H
6BE BIG 5 6RIDE ! BIKE4 ,X 0 F"R5+ 6ME
AT F/1 B ,I DIDN'T GET HURT1 & ,I DID
LE>N 6RIDE 2F ,I 0 FIVE4
  ,:5 ,I 0 TW5TY-"O ,I W5T 6,VIET ,NAM
": ,I LO/ MY SI<T DUE 6A M9E EXPLO.N4 ,I
?"\ ,I WD N"E WALK D[NT[N 0MYF AG1 2 A#
6GET A GD PAY+ JOB1 OR 2 A# 6G \ & H FUN
Z ,I US$ 6D--IN %ORT1 T ,I WD N"E 2 BIG
5 6RIDE ! BIKE4
  ,I RCVD :AT IS CALL$ REHABILIT,N TRA9+
--C\RSES 9 US+ A :ITE CANE & R1D+ ,BRL1
& 9/RUC;N 9 TYP+1 COOK+1 &! USE ( P[]
TOOLS--SKILLS WE NE$ Z BL P 6LIVE
9DEP5D5TLY4 ,I TE*NIC,Y LE>N$ ^! SKILLS
9 ! SAME WAY ,I TE*NIC,Y 0 RID+ MY BIKE
:5 ,I COA/$ A FEW FEET ON ! GRASS4 ,B1
:5 ,I -PLET$ MY TRA9+1 ,I KNEW T "S?+ 0
MISS+4 ,I / 0 J COA/+1 N RE,Y US+ !
SKILLS4
  ,I N[ "K T ,I 0 N LIMIT$ 0! FACT T ,I
CD N SEE2 ,I 0 LIMIT$ 0MY LACK ( 2LIEF 9
MY [N CAPABILITIES1 MY 2LIEF T ,I WASN'T
BIG 5 6RIDE ! BIKE4 ,&1 ( C\RSE1 ,I ?"\
O!R BL P 7 J Z LIMIT$ Z ,I WAS4 ,I WDN'T
H ADMITT$ ?2 ,I J KNEW X 9SIDE MYF4
  ,:5 ,I RETURN$ HOME ) MY NEW SKILLS1
,I F.D T UNLIKE ! EXP]I;E ( LE>N+ 6RIDE
A BIKE1 ! P >.D ME DID N 2LIEVE T !
SKILL ( US+ A :ITE CANE %D 2 PRACTIC$ &
P]FECT$4 ,!Y DID N ?9K X WD "E 2 SAFE =
ME 6WALK >.D FREELY )A :ITE CANE4 ,NEI
DID ,I4 ,I 0 J COA/+1 N BIG 5 6RIDE !
BIKE4
  ,MY OLD BOSS AT ,SE>S WD N HIRE ME 6D
! SAME APPLI.E REPAIR JOB ,I _H HELD 2F
GO+ 6,VIET ,NAM4 ,HE SD ,I CDN'T D ! JOB
2C ,I CDN'T DRIVE 6HOMES ": REPAIRS 7
NE$$4 ,B HE WDN'T HIRE ME 6REPAIR
APPLI.ES 9 ! %OP1 EI4
  ,HE KNEW ,I CD D ! "W1 B HE DIDN'T ?9K
,I CD GET >.D ! %OP SAFELY4 ,HE HIR$ ME
BACK1 B ! ONLY JOB HE (F]$ 0 SITT+ 9 A
*AIR ALL "D SELL+ SOAP & MA9T5.E
AGREE;TS OV] ! PH"O4 ,I DID ? =A LL
:ILE1 B ,I FELT MY SKILLS & TAL5TS 7 N
2+ *ALL5G$1 T ,I 0 N RE,Y RID+ ! BIKE4
  ,S ,I QUIT4
  ,I KNEW ,I 0 MISS+ "S?+--SKILLS1
TRA9+1 *ALL5GES1 "S?+4 ,I APPLI$ =
ADMIS.N 6COLLEGE & 0 A3EPT$ "U PROB,N 2C
!Y DIDN'T ?9K ,I CD RIDE ! BIKE4 ,I DID
! "W SU3ESS;LLY1 E>N+ MY BA*ELOR'S
DEGREE & !N MA/]'S DEGREE 9 SOCIAL "W &
H "W$ =! PA/ TWO DECADES Z A LIC5S$
CL9ICAL SOCIAL "W]4 ,B1 = AB HALF T "T1
,I KNEW "S?+ 0 MISS+4
  ,TW5TY YE>S AF ,I LO/ MY SI<T1 A MEMB]
(! ,N,NAL ,F$],N (! ,BL 9VIT$ ME 6A
,F$],N MEET+4 ,I AGRE$ 6G B SD ,I 0
PROBABLY N 9T]E/$ 2C1 AF ALL1 :AT CD A
BUN* ( BL P (F] ME8 ,B ,I W5T4 ,AFW1 ,I
SD 6MYF1 8,? IS :AT ,I H BE5 MISS+40 ,^!
P 2LIEVE 9 !MVS4 ,!Y >E BIG 5 6RIDE !
BIKE4 ,! ,F$],N MESSAGE 6BL P IS T1 YES1
Y W MAKE MISTAKES & NE$ 6PRACTICE :5
LE>N+ BL;S SKILLS J L "EY"O PRACTICES
RID+ A BIKE1 B T IS NO R1SON 6/OP TRY+
6LE>N4
  ,:5 ,I F9,Y GOT ! ,F$],N MESSAGE1 ,I
/>T$ US+ MY CANE ON A REGUL> BASIS1 />T$
6PRACTICE UP ON MY ,BRL SKILLS1 & />T$
6SEE MYF Z A CAPA# HUMAN 2+ AG4
  ,I N[ "K T1 2F ,I MET ! ,F$],N1 ,I 0
RE,Y GO+ "? LIFE ?9K+ T SI<T 0 ! ONLY
WAY 6D ?+S4 ,! ,F$],N PROVID$ ! MISS+
PIECE--! /R;G 2LIEF T "! >E O!R WAYS ?AN
) SI<T 6D ?+S SAFELY & E6ICI5TLY4 ,IF Y
H SI<T1 T'S ! EASIE/ WAY4 ,IF Y DON'T1
"! >E O!R WAYS4
  ,? SIMPLE B VITAL P]SPECTIVE /RAI<T5$
\ LOTS ( PUZZLES = ME & GAVE ME ! 3FID;E
T M]ELY LE>N+ A SKILL CD N4 ,AF JO9+ !
,F$],N1 ,I />T$ PRACTIC+ CANE USE & ,BRL
R1D+ )A NEW VIEW--^! "W = O!R P1 & ,I C
MAKE !M "W = ME4
  ,I REC5TLY GOT M>RI$ & MOV$ 6A SMALL
T[N 9 ,I[A ": MY WIFE HAS LIV$ = "S "T4
,MY WIFE HAS BE5 9 ! ,,NFB =A L;G "T &
HAS SET ! NORM 9 ? T[N T ! BL >5'T
HELP.S & C LE>N ) "S ASSI/.E4
  ,"O COLD & SN[Y W9T] NI<T %ORTLY AF ,I
>RIV$ "H1 ,I GOT LO/--COMPLETELY TURN$
>.D4 ,C>S PASS$ BACK & =? B NO "O /OPP$
6ASK IF ,I 0 OKAY OR 6(F] ASSI/.E Z !Y
WD H D"O ": ,I LIV$ 2F4 ,& ,I _H NO IDEA
H[ 6GET HOME4 ,S1 ,I WALK$ \ 96! /REET &
WAV$ D[N A C> 6ASK ": ,BROAD ,/REET WAS4
  ,! DRIV] TURN$ \ 6BE ! [N] (! JEWELRY
/ORE 9 T[N ": MY WIFE _H PUR*AS$ MY W$D+
R+4 ,HE DIDN'T GET \ ( 8 C> OR (F] A
RIDE HOME Z ,I EXPECT$4 ,9/1D1 HE TOLD
ME 6G "O BLOCK 2H ME & TURN LEFT--T 0
,BROAD ,/REET4 ,I ?ANK$ HM & LEFT4
  ,! NEXT "D MY WIFE /OPP$ AT ! JEWELRY
/ORE4 ,! [N] TOLD H] T ,I _H WAV$ HM D[N
! NI<T 2F :5 ,I 0 LO/4 ,HE SD 6H] T ,I
WD H 6"W ON F9D+ MY WAY >.D "H & T HE
KNEW HE %DN'T GIVE ME A RIDE B R %D GIVE
ME 9=M,N1 2C ,I WD LE>N FA/] T WAY4 ,)
SUPPORT = EA* O!R &! "U/&+ ( \R SI<T$
FRS L ! JEWELRY /ORE [N]1 WE C G 2Y
COA/+1 2Y M]E SKILLS--6WALK+ \TSIDE &
GO+ ": WE WANT4 ,X'S RE,Y Z EASY Z T4
  ,I LE>N$ X :5 ,I 0 F\R PU%+ (F (! WALL
6GET MY BICYCLE />T$4 ,I LE>N$ X AG ON !
BATTLEFIELDS ( ,VIET ,NAM4 ,& ,I LE>N$ X
ONCE M :5 ,I GOT HOME & 2GAN D1L+ )
BL;S4 ,MAYBE ALL ( U H 6LE>N X OV] & OV]
"?\T \R LIVES4 ,! PRO#MS MAY SEEM 6BE
TOO H>D 6SOLVE1 B IF WE "W AT X )
DET]M9,N & IF WE 2LIEVE 9 \RVS & 9 !
9NATE GD;S (! P >.D U1 WE W 2 BIG 5
6RIDE ! BIKE4













