14 Miles
November 5, 2007 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
When we got back from Charlie’s piano lesson, I found Jim sitting in front of his computer and clicking here and there on Google Maps. “Are you planning a running route?” I asked. “No—Charlie and I are going to go on a long bike ride,” Jim answered.
“Long,” as it turned out, meant 14 miles, give or take, across four towns (well, one is very small). Jim and Charlie took their usual route but, at the turnaround point, kept on going, thoroughly to Charlie’s consternation and sense of order. Jim noted that Charlie made it quite clear he would not go farther and called out for me (something he is much less likely to do when I am around…….). But Jim, as he has since the long-ago days when he pulled on the tricycle handlebars and I crouched and helped Charlie move the pedals with his feet—-he just did not seem sure how to coordinate his legs and feet and everything—-kept assuring Charlie “you can do it, pal,” and just as the tricycle moved forward a foot, so Charlie today kept pedalling and into that fourth town over he and Jim rode.
We used to have to find parks with bike paths and wide streets, as Jim rode beside Charlie. While Charlie knew how to use his hand brakes, Jim used to reach out to hold Charlie’s shoulder, just to be sure; Charlie slowly learned to “squeeze brakes” when Jim said “stop sign!”. In the past year, Charlie often looks for signs while we are on our walks; he also understands “right” vs. “left,” the result of Jim delivering those directions while bike riding.
Seems to me that this West Coast city might one day be Charlie’s kind of place…… We do need to work a bit more on understanding what to do at the traffic lights.
Photo courtesy of Gwepp via Flickr
Kristina,
Oregon’s bike trails are second to none (in our ‘umble opinion). Eleanor and Dad are big cyclists.
Bike Trails and paths in Oregon
http://www.efn.org/~rick/pedalpals/docbook/book1.html
However, if I were planning to move to Oregon to take advantage of the trails…I might look into the whole picture:
From THRESHHOLD, Salem Oregon
“…WE recommend that families NOT even consider moving to Oregon to seek what they may erroneously hear, or believe, are optimum services, or a more Autism friendly place for their young or adult children with Autism. By far, Oregon has more children with Autism per capita than any other state in the U.S. Yet, it now has one of the nation’s lowest levels of direct Autism services, and a documented problem with offering least family-centered approaches to Autism and less user-friendly public services. We also suffer from a long term lack of legislative action around our state’s Autism crisis, a broad tax payer resistance to adequately fund life span disability services, and what is now a tougher “zero tolerance” philosophy using mainly typical and even harsh behavioral methodologies. These problems are why you may see more nonprofit Autism organizations located in this state–not because it is a great place to live or work–but because it is not…”
Check out Davis, California — a university town and a bike haven! Jobs and biking, what could be better?
Regan—-a former therapist really liked Portland and wanted to move there, but told us that it was not the right climate for the kind of autism work she wanted to do (speech therapy with ABA).
Liz—-Davis….. now that’s the combination to seek out, jobs and biking…….
14 miles – that is incredible! I’m sure those early days of the tricycle were hard and demanding, but what a fantastic payoff to see him ride the way he does now. Please let Charlie know how inspiring this is to me and my son.
Steve