Sometimes, you learn things you are supposed to learn...

Sometimes, you learn things you are supposed to learn...

Last week I rode in the Tour de Cure, a fund-raiser for the American Diabetes Foundation, to continue my "training" for my upcoming assault on Alpe de Huez. We are only ten days away from leaving for Europe. The riding trip in the Alps is a slight diversion from the main purpose of the trip, to celebrate mom and dad's 50th wedding anniversary. I rode about 70 miles to try and get on some sort of riding shape. I don't think it really matters, though. I'm going to look like a dog riding a bicycle compared to the other cyclists riding up the mountain. A few weeks ago we rode a bike ride in the mountains around Chattanooga as part of our "training regimen". My favorite mountain on the ride - Suck Mountain. Almost 50 mph on the downhill....

Back to things you are supposed to learn, On my Tour De Cure ride I rode with another rider on my team named Mickey. He is a 74 year-old retiree (yes, riding 70 miles with me!) who volunteers at a surgery center. On our ride - 70 miles is long time to talk - he told many patients he checked in to have hands, feet, fingers and toes amputated as a result of diabetes. He talked about it so matter-of-factly, speaking of a 42-year-old man who was having his feet amputated. I am 42. I cannot imagine my life without feet. He told me story after story about the horrors of diabetes. It made me feel like what I was doing was a worthwhile, raising money to find a cure for diabetes.

Sometimes, you learn the things you are supposed to learn.