This is a shameless attempt to save the the most advanced civilization in
history from imminent self destruction by eliminating carbon emission,
dependence on foreign sources of fuel,obesity, hypertension and diabetes.
Cycling accomplishes all those things at once and helps us develop a better
understanding of ourselves, each other and our relationship to the cosmos.

Oh, horse puckey!
I like to ride bikes, have been doing it all my life.
The rest of that crap is just a fringe benefit,
and the blogosphere gives me a chance to share my interior
monologue with virtual rather than imaginary friends.

Sunday, April 24, 2016

The gatherings have begun

I guess I've been taking time away.  My last post was on my 64th birthday.  Since then I've found I am I'm no longer alone!  Well, I never really was.  During the more adventurous time of the year I have all the court appointed cyclists keeping me company. 
Now it's time for the serious cyclists to get out.  It's fair weather.  The Spandex Hamsters can drive their cars to a meeting point without getting them wet and dirty.  Now they can convene and feverishly pedal back to their car.

The important part is they have abandoned the trainers and video tapes in deference to reality.  It helps me feel vaguely validated and less eccentric.  Hope it doesn't rain and scare 'em all off.
I feel comfortable now, sitting in my loose shorts and golf shirts, listening to all the cycling things I don't understand, like distance and speed .  I only feel out of place to them.  In the meantime, I am wondering how many will be going for the electro magnetic drive hub/seat tube option that is dominating the race circuit.  I would think it could help a lot of Strava scores and will probably become the standard for any serious club rider.
This past weekend was the first "best day ever" for bike riding and we still managed to bitch about the wind.  It was nowhere near as bad as the vacation trip I took but we still manage to complain.  I actually managed to work in back to back 50  mile days around a work schedule and was just plain dead on my feet by Tuesday afternoon.
 I got better and drove to Crystal Lake, Il.  this weekend for the Tenth Annual Chicagoland Vintage Bike Ramble.
A bunch of old guys riding really cool old bikes enjoyed some exquisite weather for a 40 mile ride over the Illinois countryside culminating with lunch at an authentic Mexican diner.  
It doesn't get any better than that.
.

1 comment:

  1. That last ride sounds awesome. I avoid the lycra group rides, mainly because I'm not very fast, but also because I don't like all the precision measurements about what constitutes a "good" ride and who counts as a "real" cyclist. I'm also a year-rounder, but that's not nearly so impressive a feat in Tennessee as it is in Michigan!

    Keep pedaling.

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