Stroke knocks chief off his wheels

But Chuck Harris is determined to get back on the bike

Competitive cycling is a passion for Bigfork Fire Chief Chuck Harris.

Then a stroke on Nov. 30 forced him into a hospital and away from both his bicycle and the fire hall.

But he didn't anticipate being absent long.

In fact, the 60-year-old returned part time to his firefighting duties on Dec. 17. And he hopes to begin a training regimen for the upcoming cycling season by the first of the year.

"I think I'm recovering at a rapid pace," said Harris, a member of the Flathead Cycling Team and former Swan Lake District ranger for the U.S. Forest Service.

Prior to the stroke, Harris entered four to six nationally sanctioned races per year. Those were in addition to four to six team time trials before the season began and several smaller area races for fun.

But after a four-day stay in the hospital and a week at a rehabilitation center, he was told to stay off his bike for at least a month.

He must keep his blood pressure down or risk re-injuring the blood vessel in his brain and suffering another stroke.

"My blood pressure will dictate how hard I can work out," said Harris. "That was not the news I wanted to hear when I left the hospital. But I guess I'm going to have to change my lifestyle."

Even if Harris is told he can't race competitively, his idea of changing his lifestyle is substituting the racing pace of a time trial with the endurance pace of a "century," or 100-mile ride - a distance Harris has ridden many times over.

For now, Harris says he is simply awaiting the doctor's permission to climb back on the bike, hoping to begin a four-day-a-week structured training routine.

"I'm not optimistic he's going to let me race," said Harris, admitting he has yet to fully recover. "But I think it's pretty unknown at this point."

Just after the stroke, Harris was unable even to gather the strength to crawl. He could barely lift his left arm. His speech was slurred. But by mid-December, his cane already seemed a superfluous accessory.

Harris credits the pace of his recovery to his physical condition before the stroke.

"It takes a certain mind- set to persevere, to push yourself to a certain level and even beyond that," said Harris, explaining how the mentality of a serious athlete can be applied to help speed the recovery process. "The bottom line is, what inspires or motivates me is adversity."

He also spoke about the incredible support of his family, church, and fellow firefighters. As part of a cognitive exercise, Harris was asked to try to remember all the people who came to visit him.

He made a list and recorded the names of 120 people in one week, he said.

"It was pretty awesome in terms of support," said Harris, thanking the members of several departments around the Flathead. "I've got lots of thank-yous to get out."

Harris, who has been Bigfork fire chief for about a year, has taken himself off the call list of volunteers until he recovers further. He is able, though, to do administrative work, write a budget and manage personnel.

Harris has big goals for the fire department in the coming year, and he won't let a little thing like a stroke get in the way.

He already has overseen the purchase of a new fire truck complete with a 105-foot ladder.

It should be delivered this summer. Buildings in Bigfork are simply growing too tall for the department's current 35-foot ladders, he said.

Harris also has plans for a three-story training tower, designed to put firefighters

in realistic rescue situations with real fire. The department already has raised about $70,000 to fund it, he said.

Finally, Harris is laying plans for the fire department's expansion. He hopes to create between eight and 10 paid positions for full-time firefighters in the next five years. The fire hall, however, is too small to accommodate the accompanying sleeping quarters and kitchen, so the department also would have to explore purchasing more property and possibly erecting a new building, he added.

"Volunteers are and will continue to be a big part of this organization," Harris said. "But I think a lot of people would like doing what they're doing and getting paid for it."

Even if it isn't competitive, cycling will most likely figure prominently in Harris' life. After being unable to find a mutually acceptable pace while riding with his wife, Harris bought a tandem bicycle.

"If the two of us work together, we could kick some butt somewhere," Harris said with a laugh.

Reporter Nicholas Ledden can be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at nledden@dailyinterlake.com