About Harry
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Harry's story
Harry Mathewson is 57 years old and overwieght. Untill August of this year he had not been on a bicycle since he was a kid. He has back trouble and knee trouble, and has been treated for 20 years for congestive heart failure. So why in the world would he decide to take up long distance bicycling?


Since Harry is Dan's caregiver and his main source of transportation to all of Dan's cycling events Harry was always around cyclists and cycling events.
After Dan's first year riding on The Tanqueray's Texas AIDS Ride2 Harry felt that he should help and support Dan's riding.

He was on the crew of TTAR 3 and became convinced even more of the value of the experience,not only to society as a whole, but also as a life changing experience for the riders and the crew. But, like most people,Harry said " I admire you for doing it, but I could never do it myself."


  Harry Becomes Motivated
"I was on the crew of TTAR3 and the crew of The Lone Star Ride Fighting AIDS and found them both to be among the highlights of my personal experiences."

"Then this year I became involved on the planning committe of another charity pledge ride. I was reaching the point where most of my time was being spent around cyclists and I enjoyed it but there was still one thing missing, I didn't ride," Harry says.

"So, I decided to take up riding a little bit. I did not plan to do big rides like Dan. I felt that I might go with him on some of his shorter training rides, and when he did one day rides I would sign up for the 10 mile fun route that is usually held with the big rides. That way I could even get a few event T-shirts like Dan has. It would also make it easier for me to relate to Dan and our other friends."


So, Harry started riding at White Rock Lake in Dallas. The first couple of days he rode 5 miles or so. Then the third time Dan rode with a group of vetern riders who went all the way across town an a 70 mile route. So, since he had nothing else to do, he rode around at White Rock all day. He would ride untill he was tired then rest and ride again. By the end of the day he had ridden over 20 miles. It took his legs several days to recover. Because of his back Harry cannot bend forward like a road cycle requires, but if he is careful he can ride the mountain bike with its more upright riding position.

One thing that was easier for Harry is that on paper he had a lot technical knowledge about peddaling cadence, hyedration, proper use of the gearing and so forth.

So his main objective is physical stength and stamina. His goal is to build up his milage during the cool months so he will only have to learn how to handle the heat next summer.

Harry decides to become serious
"In the course of the last few years around cycling I have met some truly amazing people,"Harry says." One lady who rode with Dan on TTAR3 told me she was in remission from breast cancer. She is about my age, and still she rides. We have a couple of friends Larry and Al who ride. Larry is 66 and Al is in his 70's. Last year on TTAR3 I was doing traffic control where the riders entered camp after a 103 mile day and saw a lady in her 80's come in. I have heard of a lady from San Antonio who had knee surgery and who had to have help getting on the bicycle, but she rode! With that kind of examples I decided that I had no more excuses! If they can make the sacrifice for a cause then so can I." So, Harry decided to become a seroius cyclist."I ran out of excuses"he says.

A different kind of Bike
Occasionally, at rides he would see a bicycle that looked like a lawn chair on wheels. The rider lays back and his feet are out in front of him. these "funny looking" bikes are called recumbents.

Harry started looking into them and found out that they are much eaiser on the back. The laid back position not only is easier,but it is more effecient. Of course, these new bikes are expensive, but Harry keeps hoping that he can come up with enough money for one. At first he said that he would ride on the Lone Star Ride only if he was able to get a recumbent, but now he has decided that he will do it on the old mountain bike if necessary.


This is a recumbent, the type bike Harry hopes to get.