Sean Christen has faced some hard times. A painful divorce that he says he had some fault in, a son whose future he worries deeply about, and a stroke to cope with are some of his latest challenges.
His stroke took away the physical strength and balance he needs to do the large-scale woodcarvings he was known for, and Christen knew he had to find another way to get in better shape after the health scare.
He was left feeling fortunate that more serious damage wasn’t done. But he said he also realized he was “incredibly depressed” and that he hoped getting active would help with that problem.
He knew he couldn’t ride a regular bicycle because of the balance issues. He envisioned something low-slung to pedal. He found what he was looking for online from a seller in Santa Rosa Beach. It was a vintage low-rider trike Getting it brought on another physical project; he and a friend built a trailer they outfitted with a roof for the trike. Now it’s easy to haul back and forth to his favorite nearby riding spots. One of those is Sneads Park, with its simple paved roads that wind lazily among the trees, alongside pavilions, and give him a view of folks fishing and lounging on the banks of Lake Seminole just beyond the pavilions.
People are also reading…
He’s not sure what year his ride was born but he loves even its rust.
On a recent Saturday afternoon he spent about two hours riding it in the park. Unloading it is easy: After he loosens its security straps and opens the trailer’s back panel, he can swing a leg over the trike and ride it down the back panel that serves as a ramp when it’s lowered.
Loading it up is no problem, either, and Christen is finding in the trike all the things he’d hoped it would bring. It has a special feature, an add-on that helps him find the peace of mind he needs.
Behind the trike he hauls a wooden crate-like cart. It’s big enough to sit in and it can carry some things. There are two removable cushions in it for comfort.
From there he can rest and contemplate. It suits him fine.
