Annelise
From my first trike to training wheels to mountain bikes to road bikes to single speeds and fixed gears, cycling has always been an integral part of my life. Five years ago, that piece of me was temporarily stolen when a distracted driver ran a red light and hit me in the crosswalk. Eight surgeries later with a great chance of amputation, I ride with a new appreciation for the freedom I find on two wheels. Even when I was unable to walk, my bike taught me to move. I ride because my bike took the majority of the hit that day and turned certain fatality into a second chance. I ride because my gratitude for living is exponentially heightened every time I'm on those two wheels. I ride because I am able.