Kingston, Wash. — EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above originally aired in February of 2018.
On a typical weekday morning in Kingston Washington, when many are commuting to work by ferry, Ted Schmid is gliding into work on a homemade bamboo cycle.
There are no pedals to push. Schmid propels himself with feet that almost seem to float.
“I kind of think of it as running training wheels so I am able to run without weight bearing,” said Schmid.
This self-described tinkerer said he had to build this bike out of necessity. He based its design on Glidecycles made by an Oregon company.
“I love running,” said Schmid. “I've been a 20-year runner and someone said when you turn 50 you're not going to run anymore and there was a bit of wisdom there.”
Schimd once ran ultra marathons. Now he can't even run a few miles without old injuries popping up.
“Runner's hip, neuroma, plantar fasciitis. I've had them all,” said Schmid.
He's also treated them all. It's his job as a massage therapist to help others heal.
“Our understanding of the body is continually changing you know? Especially connective tissue and fascia,” said Schmid.
After work, as the ferries fill the sound, Schmid begins his eight-mile commute home.
“The simplest way I can describe it is every time I get on it I get that miraculous joy of riding a bike for the first time,” he said.
Best of all, thanks to bamboo, this former runner has found a pain-free way to return to the wooded trails.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above originally aired in February of 2018.
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