Great Bike Giveaway Blog

Joseph Olea is the recipient of the 2021 Great Bike Giveaway Pedego e-bike! Follow his story by visiting this page and reading his blog! Where will his bike take him this May?

5/23/2021

After my son left today, I went to the River Trail. Last time I got as far as the Stress Ribbon Bridge. This time I turned left and rode through the burn. What a sight. I’m glad we all share the view. I rode 18.7 miles and I feel great. I’m able to shoot over to the store to get fresh things when I need it to help my blood sugar. I don’t have to eat candy, I can eat better food when it gets low. This has helped me in so many ways.

5/22/2021

We went swimming today at the YMCA. Feels so good to see everything getting back to normal. Ice cream follows swimming, always. The real treat today was the food truck park downtown. We played giant checkers, enjoyed the outdoor bowling, and played ping pong. I can’t wait to go again with a hungry stomach. Just one mile today. It wasn’t a far distance today, but a perfect ride. 168.2 total miles on my bike. Tomorrow I will ride the Sacramento River trail.

5/19/2021

I had a doctor’s appointment yesterday. It’s no problem to ride there, it’s fun. I now try to stay off busy, shared roads as much as I can. My route is through Turtle Bay then across the bridge. After my doctor’s appointment, I rode to shop. It is easy with my saddle bags. I just take them into the store so I can see how things fit. It has an easy strap so it’s an ease to secure the bag to my bike. I rode 12.1 miles yesterday. Today I picked up my new glasses that were ready and rode with my son. I took Lake Blvd around when I rode to Shasta Lake. It is worrisome in parts, but as I get closer it opens up. After a ride with my son I took Twin View and stopped to get groceries. 25.1 miles today. Thank goodness my glasses were the wrong prescription, so I get to ride back to Shasta Lake again! That’s a nice ride. With my son there, it has become my favorite ride.

5/16/2021

3.5 miles today. My son started the Bigfoot Challenge at Caldwell park. I am so proud of him. At first, he could not make a complete trip around the track. We have been working on it. Today, not only did he make a complete trip around, but with an easy step. After that I asked him if he was in a race, would he be able to go around 2 times in a row? In a little over half of a month and he went 3 times around, feet on the pedals the whole time. I see the difference in him every day, but this was a big marker that we could both see. Awards to him! I am proud. He just learned how to ride. He got a late start, that’s my fault. We are making new, good, healthy choices. That’s what’s it’s all about. I am so happy to have been awarded this bike! I feel different because of the exercise and the sun. I have to be honest, I have had a few close calls with low blood sugar. With the ability to make it to the store often I get to eat healthier and get more trips to the store. This helps me stay away from the candy when my blood sugar gets low. I notice all of the different little things that are easy to do now that were not so easy on foot.  113.5 is what my total milage says on my Pedego. I have been communicating a lot with others about my new bike. I like to tell then where I got it. Thanks everyone!

 

5/15/2021

Today was a tough morning for me. I felt rode over by the rodeo 😊… all of that good food…funnel cake, kettle corn… This was my son’s first Rodeo so we had to do a bit of sampling. Today if it wasn’t for the Bike Month Challenge then we would have stayed in. But we did not settle. We rode 1.5 miles. We are doing it!

5/14/2021

It’s Friday morning and I joined the town for the Asphalt Cowboy’s Pancake Breakfast. I rode my Pedego right up to the crowd. Although I don’t know many people around here because I’m new, I did enjoy seeing so many familiar faces. It’s feels good to be part of something, and the pancakes made me feel right at home. I miss you Mom. I was happy to see everyone. After breakfast, I went shopping off of Dana Drive. Then I took my son to his first Rodeo! He had a wild time. We were back in time for a nice night ride. Remembering to ride every day is turning into NEEDING to ride. Has anyone ever felt that?  I do. I’m a need type. I now have something healthy I need to do. Absolutely cool. I spent a little money on a rearview mirror, and saddle bags. The bags are perfect for me. They hold 4, 1-gallon water bottles with room to spare. The ability to carry items to my place from the store saves money, that is my thinking. Then I thought of all the money I save with the e-bike. Gas… bus fare. The most interesting thing is the way I think with having this bike. I think about the possibilities, not the variables.

5/13/2021

I broke 100 miles today!!! At 101.1 I was on the Sundial Bridge. I was following the sound of what I found out was the familiar sounds of the rodeo, the Redding Asphalt Cowboys. This was a nice find. How lucky of me to run into the rodeo. I paid five bucks for my 67th annual Pancake Breakfast ticket. I am going to be there early, then take a nice ride while the weather is cool. These days it is getting hot. I  can hear the rodeo from my place, the fiddle in particular. My mind stops as I think of all the good times I remember as a kid with the sound of the fiddle. I want to thank everyone who reads this because I have always wanted to be a writer. I always wanted to be a cowboy as a kid too. I must get some rest. In the early dawn I will ride to the rodeo. I will go on my Pedego to the Pancake Breakfast.  Then ride on into the sunrise! Anywhere I want to go… until lunch time when I get my 10-year-old for the week.

My total now is 104.5! Wow sounds like a radio station. 104.5…the Ride!

5/10/2021

Tonight was my last night with Aidan for the week. He wanted to go for a night bike ride. I thought it would be a good time for safety lessons. He wore my reflective gloves and helmet. We usually walk a bit if we can before bed. This was fun. We went to a closed parking lot where he says he feels safe with me. He told me that they say don’t ride at night. I said we need to learn how  to incase we need to.

5/9/2021

Happy Mother’s Day! My son and I rode early today to get our daily one-mile ride in. He spent the rest of the day with his Mother.

5/8/2021

I am still feeling a little sore today.  My son and I went for our mile ride through a nice neighborhood right around the corner.  Later we walked for a bit and talked about riding to and swimming at the YMCA.  I’m planning a camping trip by the Shasta Lake Dam. My son wants to ride across the Dam. I want to surprise him with a camp site all set up. Happy plan!

5/6/2021

Since I won my new Pedego e bike, I have ridden 61.4 miles! I have started to work out the routes for all of the appointments and errands I have. As I am looking for a new career, I started at the SMART Center in downtown Redding.  I did a little shopping after that.  Total miles for the day, 7.2. New overall total, 68.6! Moving along!

5/5/2021

Today I felt injured, but I am healing.  I rode out for a bit on my son’s 8 speed. Just to say I did it. So much is riding on us riding every day. It’s important for me to show my son that even in a divorce we still can be connected every day. It builds us, and brings us together. I know my son counts on us going for a ride. It’s as simple as picking up a bike and going for a ride. Both of us are working to make sure we get out there every day this month. Time to make new good habits!

I woke up one morning when I was 21 and I could not move. I am here because the doctors figured out what it was. Even though I have been working through various health issues throughout the years, I am one of those “lucky to be alive” type of guys. Sometimes I see things from a different view because I know too well that life is so valuable. We have ups and downs in how we feel, but the value of life is never lower on a bad day. The view from a bicycle is very healing.

5/4/2021

I rode out to my doctor’s office to pick up some paperwork. It was one of my longer trips. One that would have taken me hours, but now only takes me minutes. On my way back I stopped for food. I was riding with traffic in the bike lane. I overcorrected and fell. It hurt. I was able to get up and have my meal. The best part was my bike did not get damaged! Today I put 14 miles on my new Pedego Boomerang. I have been going where the wind blows me. I want to plan my trips now so I know where I’m going and can share the destinations. I went on the river trail today.  I smelled flowers so I went around the corner and then I saw them. Here is a photo pf my bike on the trail. Now it’s time to learn my way around and the names of the places I stop to and wander. That turns to thinking, and I think I’m in a good place.

5/2/2021

Today was the first day for the father/son bike ride. We rode to the bike track at the Redding skate park and did our thing. We then we took a ride to the northern end of the Sacramento river. We started to get hungry and act goofy so we headed back. My son took a tumble… his first crash. Very important lesson in his life. He was fine with only a few scratches. He had a helmet on, as we all should. He got back up, like we all need to. We are getting used to our bikes. My son has a 24-inch BMX style bike. I can keep up with him now. We are excited to see Redding and learn about it from a different view. Thank you everyone. I can’t wait to see you all on the road!!  From the show room floor to my floor I have put on 35.2 miles total. This week I will easily double that. I am excited to see how many miles I can manage on my new Pedego. Excited to think of the new people I will meet and the friends I will make! Thank you! See you all on the road…with a helmet on.

5/1/2021

Today I returned a movie to Redbox.  When you want to ride but, have no place in mind… Redbox. After returning the movie, I did some shopping. My total as of today on my new Pedego Boomerang is 29.8 miles. I understand how someone could love a bike. I wonder how my bike feels about me. I know to keep it charged. I have gotten another compliment on my bike. I love to then tell them I just won it!

4/29/2021

First ride: My first ride was to my home. I was in shock still from receiving my new Pedego Boomerang. I had a doctor appointment and I made it there on time! I passed a few people on the sidewalk and could not keep the news to myself. “I just won this!” I told them. I showed the nurse that checked me in and my doctor came out to see my new bike. It feels like a new toy. After returning from the doctors I went on a ride. I took Lake Blvd around the big bend to Shasta Lake. To show my 10-year-old son. I took him on a short ride, stayed for dinner, and got a ride back to my house. The bike fit easily into a minivan. 15.7 miles the first day! I slept well. My body felt perfect. It felt as if I went to the gym and I worked my legs and whole body just to the perfect point. Little sore, but ready for the next day. Felt perfect.