Because the sides of my hoop building garden were open, I could feel a gentle breeze. But the late May sun made everything within the protective confines of its plastic walls feel hot. There were only four more small nursery plants for me to tuck into the garden row, so I doggedly continued. I made a slit in the plastic mulch covering the drip-taped row. Then I scooped a handful of the soft, warm, moist soil out from the opening. After placing the infant plant in the hole, I poured a cup of water over its roots and covered it with soil. I did this three more times before standing up.

Pulling off my gardening gloves, I sat on the steps of my deck. A small, cool breeze swirled around the corner of the house. It felt good, but I wanted a stronger breeze. It occurred to me that by going for a bike ride, I’d cool off. Moments later, I was pedaling my bike away from home.

Having recently retired from the hospital, I felt fit and capable. I tilled and planted my own garden each spring. In late summer, I washed every window in the house. Before winter arrived, I’d buy six tons of wood pellets and throw the 40 pound sacks into the basement and stack at least half of them. My only physical limitation was the distance I could walk, due to arthritic foot joints.

My life became more sedentary as the years passed, especially during the winter. I didn’t work outside the home anymore and the cold and snow kept me mostly indoors. One day I realized that a stationary exercise bike would be the perfect thing for me to buy to get me moving. At the store I picked out a mid-price one that showed how many minutes an exercise session lasted, the speed, calories burned, and distance covered.

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