I went for a bike ride last week, which I haven’t done for probably 20 years. They say you never forget how to ride a bike and that proved true for me. However the bike was a little different … it was a tandem bicycle. I peddled from the back seat while another woman was up front peddaling and steering the bike.
The bicycle was provided by Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB). The person who captained the bike was a volunteer. CNIB provided helmets for the bike riders and set up the event at Little Red River Park. It was a lovely warm afternoon so I was able to enjoy an easy bike ride along the tree-lined roads in the park.
Many people think that CNIB clients cannot see anything at all, but most people whom we call blind can in fact see something, even if it’s just light and dark. In many cases it might be more accurate to say low-vision than to say blind
CNIB offers several activities for people with low vision. The tandem bike riding is the newest of those. It operated in Regina and Saskatoon in 2023 and expanded to Prince Albert this summer.
In Prince Albert, CNIB has organized a peer support group. The group meets once a month on a Wednesday afternoon. In September the meeting place will move to Calvary United Church, 114 25th St. E. To learn more about the Prince Albert blind and low vision support group call 306 314-1860.
You might also be interested in a blind bowling group that meets each Monday afternoon at Minto Bowl and Rec Center on 13th Street East.
I enjoyed the opportunity to ride a bike again but it seems strange not to be the person in control of the bike. I had total confidence in the volunteer in the front seat, but I had no brakes or steering while sitting in the second seat. The situation reminded me of how I feel when I am the passenger in a car. I can no longer drive a car because of low vision but I am often sitting in the front passenger seat and the brakes don’t work as well on that side of the car! I have to surrender control.
Riding a tandem bike was an illustration of how I feel as I grow older and I must surrender control of parts of my life to other people. I am reliant on others in so many areas of my life. It’s not necessarily a bad thing and I couldn’t operate without their assistance, but it is sometimes difficult to let go of autonomy.
There’s a mourning process when letting go of things for which we used to have control and responsibility sick as driving a car. Mourning comes in stages which might include denial, anger, depression and acceptance. Deafness, low vision, and decreased energy are some of the things that I find myself mourning. I have responded to these changes in my life with feelings of denial, anger, depression and sometimes acceptance. In some areas of my life I am learning to let the person at the front of “the bike” do the steering so that I can continue to enjoy the ride from the back seat.
