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Thanksgiving and the musings of a self-indulgent but grateful cyclist

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Thanksgiving and the musings of a self-indulgent but grateful cyclist

Old 11-26-20, 09:39 AM
  #1  
jleeg
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Thanksgiving and the musings of a self-indulgent but grateful cyclist


Not I; just feeling that way.

Happy Thanksgiving all. I'm thinking that cycling has saved your year or made it better than it would otherwise be. It factors so large in my life that it is hard to contain. This has been a +5000 mile year beginning in February when I started training for Eroica California. I'd hardly ridden in 20 years but I found love on the saddle once again! I'll be 70 on my next birthday and am winding down a good career. I've used the extra time to ride and I have dropped nearly 40lbs (from an moderately (being kind) overweight 185), and am riding as well as I ever have. I love hills, flats, riding a wheel or pulling. I like cleaning my bike, tuning it....such marvelous machines (I remember a college friend remarking about the bicycle being the best machine, so efficiently powered for the movement provided). Can it really be that cycling brings such happiness?

No, I've not dropped or toked or uncorked the Thanksgiving wine and there are people who, and life's blessings that, fall higher on the list. Especially now. But, this is a cycling forum so viva la bicycle and the ability to pedal on.

Best to you and yours. Stay safe!
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Old 11-26-20, 10:51 AM
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jleeg My job of 28 years runs out next week. For the last month I have been helping dismantle the business and equipment, my office, my home away from home and my commuting destination for nearly 30 years. Despite all the sadness and uncertainty I face, I can experience normalcy, familiarity and joy by simple saddling up and riding. Well, biking and my amazing wife and family.

I am most thankful for my family, but cycling comes in a close 2nd, with the physical and mental health it affords.

Yes, "cycling brings such happiness"!

"Viva la bicycle and the ability to pedal on" to you and everyone this holiday season and throughout the year.
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Old 11-30-20, 03:49 PM
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So good to hear. I used to race a little, rode a lot thru high school and college, then for some reason, hung the bike, a 1964 Legnano Roma, on the garage wall. After 30ish years, I got it down in 2000 at the age of 50, and never looked back. I'm 71 now, and enjoying it more than ever. Solitary rides, club group rides, mass start charity rides, even Eroica, life is good. Had a few heart issues, and, with medication, enjoying bike miles again. My wife has health issues, which keeps us closer to home, but the bike is still my escape capsule, and time machine. I'm enjoying it in my 70s, like I did when I was 17. Lots of my bike friends are going electric, but so far, I'm enjoying being the 71 year old motor. Keep on riding, keep on smiling.😊

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Old 12-01-20, 09:59 AM
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Yes, very grateful for all I have. Cycling is my looming retirement plan.

Wish I could have ridden 5000 miles this year but an arthritic hip took me out of the game for most of this year. Bad thing is I didn't know it was a bad hip, thought I was having muscle issues so spent the majority of the year trying to work my way around the issue.

For awhile there I got super depressed thinking I was no longer capable of long rides anymore. Started to lose my will to live to be honest. Thank God it is something relatively fixable. I am getting the hip replaced next week and will hopefully be back in the saddle again riding full speed by Spring.
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Old 12-01-20, 10:28 AM
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I believe life exists, in part, for our enjoyment.
Worth getting fit (a bit)
While enjoying.



Roll On!

Last edited by Wildwood; 12-01-20 at 10:32 AM.
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Old 12-01-20, 11:15 AM
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It is true that we as members of this forum we have squabbles and personal disagreements but the one thing we can all agree on is we cannot get enough bicycle riding. We all wish we did, were or could do more. All kinds of different opinions and dreams but if we could all get together for one big group ride it would be epic!
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Old 12-01-20, 01:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Thomas15
All kinds of different opinions and dreams but if we could all get together for one big group ride it would be epic!
Shoot, we would end up on an episode of Cops.
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Old 12-01-20, 03:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Thomas15
It is true that we as members of this forum we have squabbles and personal disagreements but the one thing we can all agree on is we cannot get enough bicycle riding. We all wish we did, were or could do more. All kinds of different opinions and dreams but if we could all get together for one big group ride it would be epic!
I get the sentiment, but...
From your words it would sound like an Epic Squabble?

Take a squabble to Politics and Religion.
Or take a hike.
YMMV
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Old 12-02-20, 11:19 AM
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Originally Posted by jleeg

Not I; just feeling that way.

Happy Thanksgiving all. I'm thinking that cycling has saved your year or made it better than it would otherwise be. It factors so large in my life that it is hard to contain. This has been a +5000 mile year beginning in February when I started training for Eroica California. I'd hardly ridden in 20 years but I found love on the saddle once again! I'll be 70 on my next birthday and am winding down a good career. I've used the extra time to ride and I have dropped nearly 40lbs (from an moderately (being kind) overweight 185), and am riding as well as I ever have. I love hills, flats, riding a wheel or pulling. I like cleaning my bike, tuning it....such marvelous machines (I remember a college friend remarking about the bicycle being the best machine, so efficiently powered for the movement provided). Can it really be that cycling brings such happiness?

No, I've not dropped or toked or uncorked the Thanksgiving wine and there are people who, and life's blessings that, fall higher on the list. Especially now. But, this is a cycling forum so viva la bicycle and the ability to pedal on.

Best to you and yours. Stay safe!

I love posts like this. They tap into the spirit and substance of a cyclist. To me the bicycle is a vehicle that delivers me to my spiritual center, a place of peace and of harmony. In this especially crazy year it has given me a means of escaping the madness. I was chatting with a guy I met at the dog park yesterday. We talked about some of this. In our youth the bicycle represented freedom. Each time we saddle up, we reconnect with our youth and we feel free.

Thanks again for a great post.
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Old 12-02-20, 03:35 PM
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¡Viva la bici! I remember the boyhood summer day I figured out I could balance on a bike. Wow, what a revelation! I rode up and down the street infatuated with the wind and speed and couldn’t get enough. The years have flown past just as swiftly, and the infatuation has evolved into romance. I worked at a bike shop during my college years when mountain bikes began to appear, and have tried every kind of cycling.

I just celebrated my 61st solar lap and look forward to many more!

Last edited by reconnaissance; 12-02-20 at 04:36 PM. Reason: Clarity
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Old 12-04-20, 08:11 PM
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“Solar lap.” I like that.
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