bruce19

Here's my story: I was around 37 yrs. old and well past my college prime of football and baseball. My brother-in-law had just completed the Boston Marathon. One day he told me he had bought a bicycle and was thinking of taking up bicycling as a sport. He also said that there was a ride sponsored by a local bike shop known as Vernon (VT) to Vernon (CT). It was something called a Century. He suggested we do it. I had given up playing softball in a local league about 5 years before and was basically a couch potato. I said, "Bob, I haven't ridden a bike since I was a kid." He responded, "But, you have a bike?" Well, I actually did have a bike. A Panasonic DX2000 with a 52/39 crank and a 13x23 cassette.So, we went for a ride of 20 miles. At ride's end he said, "Was that so bad?" No. It was OK. "Well, all you have to do is that......5 times" So, we signed up for the ride. As we started the ride in VT, a very fit, very attractive young woman rode up to us and asked, "Have you trained for the ride?" When I explained that I had ridden 20 miles the week before, there was an eerie silence. Then she said, " Well, we're going to learn a lot about ourselves today" and rode off. I turned to Bob..."What did she mean by that Bob?" He looked at me and said,"I have no idea." The ride was very scenic but included Mt. Tom in MA. At the end I was beyond depleted. I literally couldn't walk for 3 days. After I recovered I was faced with taking up cycling or getting rid of the bike. I guess because I was an athlete and couldn't stand the idea of not being able to do something, I persevered. The year was around 1982 btw. And you?