a new purpose. He used to get messages on social media from
aspiring young riders, asking, How do I get sponsored? Now he
was getting messages from people struggling with SCI, asking,
How do I beat this thing?
At home, Nichole felt the change. Paul wasn’t feeling sorry for
himself anymore. He was empowered to help others. “It was really
beautiful to see,” she says.
By this time, Paul had been pedaling a stationary bike for
months. His glutes and calves still didn’t work, and he still had no
sensation below his knees or the ability to f lex his feet or ankles.
But with the strength he’d built in his quads and hamstrings, he
could pedal. It wasn’t satisfying, though: He wanted to be outside.
One day about a year after the crash, Nichole came home from
work. She found Paul in the garage, with his friend Ben, building
up a carbon Scott Genius mountain bike.
“Whose bike is that?” Nichole asked.
“It’s my new one,” Paul said.
Nichole paused, then just took it in stride. “Okay.”
The next day, Paul went for a ride.
His goal was to surprise Cam at his house, about 30 minutes
away. As Paul wheeled his bike out, he leaned on it for support. He
had to put the dropper seatpost all the way down and use a curb
to get his leg over the top tube. He missed
the pedals a couple of times.
But then he pushed off and started
pedaling: out of his driveway, through the
vine-covered gates of his complex, and
right down a wide, sweeping street with a
bike lane. As he coasted downhill, he felt
the wind. It felt like it was splashing on
his face. He felt the sun on his back, on
his arms. He smiled and smiled. He was
speechless with joy.
Then the road f lattened out. There
was more traffic. Paul pedaled hard, but
he couldn’t get much speed going. The
intersections were stressful, stopping and
starting again. Cam’s house was at the
top of a hill. Paul had no calf strength,
so he couldn’t stand up on the pedals.
He strained up the climb, sweating. His
muscles were fatiguing. At one point he
thought he might roll over backward.
Cam was out in his yard, and from a dis-ISSUE 5 • BICYCLING.COM 77BELOW RIGHT:
THOUGH
HE CAN PEDAL ,
PAUL STILL
WALKS WITH
A CANE.BELOW LEFT:
DURING HIS
RECOVERY, PAUL
CONVERTED HIS
TROPHY ROOM
TO A HOME GYM.