We All Miss M+M!
Book Announcement!
We all miss M+M! It was a community alive and in action. We looked forward to seeing our friends. A special buzz took over the block around 420 Edgewood Avenue from on Mondays around 7 pm. People of all sorts came together to ride bikes. There were road bikes, gravel bikes, Walmart bikes, vintage bikes, and very snazzy custom builds. Open to any and everyone. The beauty and freedom of it. It was free to join, fun to do, and left us energized for the week. The absence of the M+M ride still stings through us on Mondays.
I spent lots of this past winter quietly contemplating the changes over the last year. I gleaned lessons, insights, and stories from the outpouring of community support after that last M+M ride. People who saw my tumble were spooked. I imagine that any of the 400 other people there could have ended up leaving in an ambulance. The experience changed us all. I felt moved by all the care and consideration the community showed. The support I received is a blessing and a gift. I am certain it helped me heal faster.
To share about this transformation, I have decided to write a book on how the cycling community’s response has changed me. I will share portions of it here as I develop more of the manuscript. My working title is Crashing Into Community and it will be ready to publish this summer 2024. A brief introduction to the book is below.
Crashing Into Community
An Atlanta Cycling Story
The last M+M ride took place on Monday, May 15, 2023. It was a gorgeous day to ride. It was the third official day of events in the 2023 Atlanta Cycling Festival. Our friends were there. We were feeling festive. At Georgia Beer Garden, an ACF photographer was taking pictures of the scene of cyclists. I rolled up just in time to photobomb Earl of Earl's Bike Shop.
I left that ride in an ambulance with two broken limbs and one less tooth among other lacerations. Later, two friends showed up at Grady Trauma Center. Lis brought balms for my spirit. Paulino peeled clementines for me. One group of friends was out looking for my car. Between the GoFundMe Campaign, my Facebook post, and word-of-mouth, many people heard about my accident.
I think that this could have happened to anybody. Going from physically independent to requiring a wheelchair roller is life whiplash. Very few of us would have the emotional and financial resources to tackle such trauma on our own. In the many quiet and indoor hours I had last year, I contemplated jarring "What if?" questions.
From so many of my intertwined communities, I had enormous support. Even new friends came out of the woodwork to wish me well. I sense there was a two-way healing process through my newsletter and socials. A recovery-focused mindset and this support network helped me focus on gratitude.
Within our cycling community, after my spill, I saw many changes. On June 12th, M+M announced that they would no longer have weekly rides. Pre-ride instructions at Bike Church changed. Midweek Roll appended ride guidelines to their sites. The Georgia Beer Garden announced its closure. Earl's is now closed. Over the ordeal of wheelchair time, physical therapy, and returning to cycling, I feel we all transformed.
This brush with tragedy renewed my vigor to live my best life. In my forthcoming book, Crashing into Community, I share how community support helped me revisit my definition of health, and moved me closer to my purpose. I will share the journey of healing with a start at why I even got on a bike in Atlanta, a little about falling in love with cycling abroad, and what hopes I have for this community.
As I write, I invite and welcome feedback on my writing.
What do you want to hear about? How does this sit with you? Thoughts on what you would like me to cover? What part of my recovery and healing journey do you want to know about?
Are there members of the community who would like to follow along with the stories and reflections?
Any that would appreciate this specific post:
Thank you for reading along! Your comments and feedback are my love language!