Cycling class keeps hurricane survivors fit, happy

PANAMA CITY — The sounds of stationary bike pedaling, upbeat music and friendly chatter filled cycling instructor Jacque Wyatt's garage Wednesday morning.

This is where Hurricane Michael survivors regularly meet for an indoor cycling class that keeps them physically and mentally fit.

“I’ve been coming here since the end of December,” said Marsha Lewis, who lives in the Cove neighborhood and has been going to regular cycling classes for several years. “It means so much to me and to all of us because we all like to exercise. It’s very important to us and it gets all the endorphins going and makes us feel better.”

Lewis, who had a tree come through her bedroom during Hurricane Michael, is one of the cyclists willing to make a long drive for the class but others, like Bob Vickery, are only 15 minutes away from  Wyatt’s house. He’s been cycling with Wyatt for over five years and was one of 15 students enthusiastically pedaling Wednesday.

It’s “some normal activity,” said Vickery. “Everything was so disrupted that it’s hard to establish anything healthy. This is what I do for my heart. It’s social, healthy, a good occasion. Once we get started, it’s very quiet because we work hard.”

Wyatt has been cycling for 20 years and teaching for six. When the fitness center where she used to teach was damaged by Hurricane Michael, she reached out to her students to see if they would be interested in resuming class.

They responded with a resounding yes and she set up a studio in her garage.

“They said they needed it,” said Wyatt. “It brings them back to normalcy and it’s something they love to do. Right now it’s not only about exercise but more about the psychological well-being. It’s something they know they still had from before, even though they lost everything.”

Wyatt said her house in the Woodmere subdivision by Deer Point Lake was saved by God and she is concerned about her students’ well-being. Three of the students lost their homes. Anyone who wants to get involved in the cycling classes can find Wyatt on Facebook.