Its been 7 days now that I have been off of the bicycle, and I must admit, I feel awful. I found myself down with some sort of ailment yesterday, and I can only assume that it be withdraws from my little two wheels. My new Frame should arrive today though!
But Until then, to satisfy my need for some sort of cathartic satisfaction with cycling, Ive decided to jot down some things here that I feel about cycling...
Do you remember when you were young, the first time that you rode without training wheels? I do. I was four and I wasn't doing well with the whole two wheels thing. After a whole day of struggle with my dad, I found a small hill that I rolled down. As I began to roll, I found my center of balance, and BAM! I was riding a big boy bike!
There were years in my pre-teen days that I raced BMX, which landed me with nothing but scars and bruises. But those races were some of the most invigorating experiences of my life!
It wasn't until I was in my post high school years, though, that I truly found the beauty of cycling. I must say, one has not experienced the sunset until they have ridden the high mesas of our beautiful state on a late summer afternoon.
Do you remember when you were young, the first time that you rode without training wheels? I do. I was four and I wasn't doing well with the whole two wheels thing. After a whole day of struggle with my dad, I found a small hill that I rolled down. As I began to roll, I found my center of balance, and BAM! I was riding a big boy bike!
There were years in my pre-teen days that I raced BMX, which landed me with nothing but scars and bruises. But those races were some of the most invigorating experiences of my life!
It wasn't until I was in my post high school years, though, that I truly found the beauty of cycling. I must say, one has not experienced the sunset until they have ridden the high mesas of our beautiful state on a late summer afternoon.
You see your shadow, cast along the trees and bushes that line the side of our desert highways.
One has not experienced the grade of a hill until they hit a sign that says 8% and realize that their legs have begun to go numb.
During the Tour De Acoma, Id have to say that began to understand how men withstood 600 mile tours. At mile 60, just past the turnaround, I began to feel an unbearable fatigue that I wasn't sure that I could handle. I was sure that I didn't have 40 more miles in me. As I took long deep breathes I began to focus less on the hurt and more on what was around me. A cool breeze in my face and beautiful walls around me. The western plains and Plateaus were something that I realized then I had taken for granted.
One has not experienced the grade of a hill until they hit a sign that says 8% and realize that their legs have begun to go numb.
During the Tour De Acoma, Id have to say that began to understand how men withstood 600 mile tours. At mile 60, just past the turnaround, I began to feel an unbearable fatigue that I wasn't sure that I could handle. I was sure that I didn't have 40 more miles in me. As I took long deep breathes I began to focus less on the hurt and more on what was around me. A cool breeze in my face and beautiful walls around me. The western plains and Plateaus were something that I realized then I had taken for granted.
In this experience with my surroundings, I found my body more at peace with itself, with its struggle. Rather than wishing the road would end, I wished that it would continue. Since that day, my first crossing and finish of a 100 mile ride, Every experience on a bicycle has been memorable. Whether it be a road ride, a cruise, or a fixed gear ride, its been amazing.
This is why I miss having my bike. I wake up in the morning looking forward to going to work, not because of work itself, but because of the time I spend with my bicycle getting there.
So to everyone that reads this, I hope you have something that frees you from your everyday. I hope that you have a World all your own.
PS: cyclists, stop hating in fixed gear riders. I don't care how long you've ridden or what you think they do to the cycling reputation, give it the fuck up.
I ride all kinds of bikes and believe me when I say, both the most intense and memorable rides have been on fixed gears. Don't be scared...challenge yourself.
This is why I miss having my bike. I wake up in the morning looking forward to going to work, not because of work itself, but because of the time I spend with my bicycle getting there.
So to everyone that reads this, I hope you have something that frees you from your everyday. I hope that you have a World all your own.
PS: cyclists, stop hating in fixed gear riders. I don't care how long you've ridden or what you think they do to the cycling reputation, give it the fuck up.
I ride all kinds of bikes and believe me when I say, both the most intense and memorable rides have been on fixed gears. Don't be scared...challenge yourself.
YOU ARE CORRECT.
ReplyDeleteBut its me,
yes it is !
ReplyDeleteYou get a 40 as a prize