Rather my
approach was that I don’t really need to do it. It was my parents who
provided the push. Literally. I remember we had this cement sidewalk in
front of our house. It ran from the driveway, to the front of the
house, where it made a 90 degree turn to the right, leading to the front
steps. If you continued walking down this sidewalk, you would walk out in
to the middle of the front yard. My parents had a plan. This plan
was related to my mastering the skills of bicycling. Their plan was
simple, to guide me down the sidewalk, and finish with a push near the end
of the walk. By the time I reached the end of the sidewalk of course
I was on my own. There, I was free to go on in any direction I chose, on
my own, without their guidance or careful hand to steady my balance. Also,
there I was free to fall in any place I chose, and they were happy with
the knowledge that I could fall and suffer only minimal pain, with very
little risk of incurring lifetime scars.
So, that’s
what we did. From one end to the other, out to the lawn and fall.
Back to the start, out the end and fall. After a while we all decided we
had enough of this activity. Repeating processes that aren’t entirely
pleasant always seem to get tiring eventually. I tired of falling and
getting back up, they tired of prodding me to get back up and go
again. When I reflect on the experience I see how much they taught
me about the fundamental skill of pedaling a bike. Sure they first had to
do some basic instruction. How to hold on, steer, pedal, apply the brakes.
But the real teaching, the real value they provided was in being there, in
guiding, pushing, encouraging, yelling, critiquing and
congratulating. We learn so many things from our friends and family
in just those ways.
Soon , I
could ride down the sidewalk, and around a good part of the yard before
falling. It was time for another challenge. To up the ante. To push myself
a little further and farther. At least that’s what my dad thought. His
great idea was to go out on to the street and ride. Ok there are
advantages and disadvantages to these kinds of decisions. On the plus
side, it is smoother, longer and easier to ride. All these things make it
less likely that I was to fall. On the negative side, concrete is
much, much harder than our front yard. The penalties for failure much
greater, which makes the whole experience that much more intimidating. It
also makes success that much more invigorating. I remember this experience
vividly. I can see the day and replay the moment as if there was a video
in my head. I pedaled down Prairie Road, and my dad ran along side me. He
ran. He kept up with me. He was there to push me back to a balanced
position, to catch me if I really needed, but mostly just to be right
beside me at the time I felt that I most needed it. That was an effort on
his part, I’m sure I was excited about my feat of accomplishment. That
fact that I rode my bike without falling, that I accomplished something. I
could have thanked him for teaching me. I certainly don’t remember doing
it, I will never know for sure. What I am sure of, is that I didn’t
thank him for what he really did. For the time he spent with me as I rode,
the effort he put forth in running with me, pushing me mentally and
physically, and for having within him, the motivation to see that I
learned a skill that would become so important.
My First One ~
“No one ever mumbled this phrase on their death bed: If I’d just
watched a little more TV or spent a few more hours a day on the couch it
all would have come together for me. But, “I wish I’d learned to
ride a bicycle,” must be uttered three, maybe four times a day." – Joe
Kurmaskie
A new bike! It could be brand new and never ridden. Or maybe it is
just new to you, some of the same rules still apply. Most new bikes
aren’t ready to be ridden hard. My first bike was like that. I just didn’t
know it. I didn’t know all the little things you need to do to care for
and protect it. The first one is as new for you, and it feels like the
bike does not yet know, so you learn as you go.
It was a blue
one. A Stingray. Tall handlebars....banana seat. The kind you could pull
wheelies on. That was a new experience too. One not without its own
dangers and repercussions. With my new bike and my new freedom, came the
opportunities do try things. Some of which I wasn’t very good at
doing. Without prior experience or guidance, I tried things that
perhaps I shouldn’t. And the inevitable happened. I crashed.
Repeatedly. So, I suffered my bruises both physical and mental, learned
from my mistakes and this became another lesson on making decisions about
what I could try and what I ought to avoid. We get these lessons all the
time, they are great. They’re painful, but they are great. We both
suffered our hurts however. We went everywhere, through the fields, down
the ditches, out in the rain, and slopped through the mud. Towed things,
put stuff in the spokes. I was too young and inexperienced to be able to
properly value, and care for the bike as i should have. When you are new
at the game of care and dependencies, you don’t really know what is best,
or understand the reasons behind the care that you need to
provide. The relationship was hard on us both. And for that and many
other reasons, we wouldn’t have each other forever. The fit wasn’t the
same after a while. Attitudes, needs and desires change. So, the care that
I so promised to give while the relationship was new, inevitably faded. My
priorities changed and other demands for my attention afforded me with
less energy to apply towards by bike. After a while, there gets to be so
many things that you just can't fix, and as that slowly happens over time,
so changes your interest.
I really
don’t know what happened to that bike, or where that bike is now. Or what
it looks like. If I ever saw it, I bet I could see some of the scars it
may have suffered and perhaps reminisce about how we both came to
create them together. For me, the hurts have faded or have been forgotten.
Some of those memories are surely more favorable and positive than they
were in reality. We all tend to do that. To remember the good stuff and
forget the bad stuff, or at least believe that it wasn’t as bad now as it
was then. First bikes, like many other first things and experienes can be
very special. And with those firsts, the pains we have endured, the
lessons learned and the memories gained will never be forgotten and
sometimes be more valued than any other therafter.
Choosing The Bike For You
~
Choosing that bike for you is a personal matter. It is after all a bike
for you. What that means, is that there isn’t a standard that someone else
can provide to you, that is really going to fit your needs. When you are
ready to choose, in order to make that decision, you are going to think of
what you want out of the bike. Perhaps a list will come to mind of the
things that you like and dislike, and how all the different
characteristics fits with your characteristics. Hopefully that bike you
choose will be the one that matches the most, or at least the most
important of those criteria. You can go about finding that bike a number
of different ways. You may take the analytica approach and research what’s
best. Or you may be patient and practical and shop around for best price.
As a start, you may get the opinions of your friends, but you may regret
any decision made soley on their advice. Perhaps you will take the
spontanous approach where you just see a bike and say, hey that one may
work for me.
Take a look at
what you want in a bike, because after all, the outcome of this choice
will have a direct effect on how successful you relationship with your
bike will be. Do you want comfort? Is it important that you can spend a
great deal of time with your bike and not develop any nagging aches or
pain. If you aren’t comfortable, there is going to be some serious
problems somewhere along the road. That lack of comfort may mean
that you will look for excuses go get off, ignore, or quit caring and
riding your bike. Perhaps it’s the speed that interests you. You are
looking for something fast, sleek, full of thrills and danger. It’s the
adrenaline thing that spurs your interest. A danger with putting so much
emphasis here is that the crashes are just as quick, not necessarily any
more painful but quick, maybe without warning. Oh, I know, its ease and
efficiency. After all biking can be leisurely, very stress free, safe and
slow. Nothing wrong here. You may not go as far or as fast as you would
with another choice, but you know what you are getting, you can see things
coming, and you have time to make decisions. Too often color can be
considered high on the list in the decision making process. It can like an
important aspect, but I suggest that maybe it isnt as important as many
would think. What is color really. It’s a superficial aspect that isn’t
likely to make a difference in the things that are important. Its really a
decision made for impressions. The way it looks. Color adds nothing to any
of the other items considered. It does not make the bike faster, more
efficient more comfortable. So really, it’s a pride in ownership thing. A
person should be happy with their choice , so perhaps it really should
have some bearing on the decision, you cannot make the decision
based solely on color. How it matches your needs is key here. Does it do
the things you want it to do. Does it do them well? That is what makes a
bike valuable to the rider. It makes your ride so much more enjoyable, and
memorable,. It helps get you to where you are going with less effort,
strain and frustration. One ends up being a happier person during and
after the ride. And if the rider is not happy, then the choice is wrong,
no matter what you may be getting from that bike.
Cost too, is
an important factor. The previous fundamentals of decision making speak
to, what choice gives me the most of what it is I am looking for. The cost
decision is one of, which choice will give me the most of whatever you are
looking for. But for most this factor boils down to a cost/benefit
analysis. How much do you/can you spend, and how many other factors need
to be met given the money you spend. Spending the money throughout the
relationship is something to consider. Getting a bike that continually
costs more money to maintain can be stressful and make it difficult to
continue. Resentment is bound to make its way in to a relationship like
that. A rider should really consider all these foundations of choice
in some fashion. Low levels of satisfaction from any of these areas, can
take all the pleasure out of the experience. Once that happens the rider
may not be willing to go further. Or to get into another similar
relationship again. You must also keep in mind just what are your
expectations. If you aren’t getting the results from your bike, for the
efforts you have made, that bike is going to fail in meeting your
expectations. People shouldn’t expect more from the bike, than its
capable of giving. Quality and strength have to be a consideration since
they effect durability, reliability and dependability. You have to
know that the bike wont break if used hard, or occasional misused. I am
not talking about abuse, since, if you abuse your bike, only bad things
will happen regardless of your choices or good intentions. But rather, the
occasional misuse or hard use. Those times when you know you are doing it
wrong, but do it anyway and simply expect that the bike be strong enough
to handle it this time without ill effects. At those moments the feeling
rushes through you that you know its wrong, hope its ok, and come out of
it with a greater sense of pride knowing that the bike held up and all is
well. You can’t always be tentative, and hesitant. Afraid that what you
might do or expect will cause the bike to fail in some way. This hinders
confidence, trust and can create bitterness. With some intelligent
thought, the grace of God, and some work on your part, your choice should
be a good one.
Loving And Caring ~
"Life may not be about your bike, but it sure can help you get through
it." - Hallman
Treat others as you would want them to treat you. Other people, other
things. The same can be said for both at times. Treat your bike
nicely and with respect and it will in turn treat you nicely. Conversely,
treat it with disrespect, abuse it, ignore it, and the bike will make life
hard for you. This is after all a relationship in which two becomes
one. Learn to spot the warning signs. Learn to not ignore the warning
signs. Learn to do what is needed in order to treat those signs so that
they don’t become problems for you. You should not go for an extended ride
without first checking the condition of the tires. A worn out tire will
fail on you in the worst moment, and you will be left sitting alone,
thinking if only…. Every part on a bike is there for a reason. There are
very few parts of that bike that you can do without. You cannot
prioritize them by paying attention to a few things and ignoring the
others. A bike that is not fully functional will limp along, as will you.
It is not what you expect, or need from your bike. You will become
frustrated and most likely place all the frustration on the bike itself
for its present condition. This attitude may cause you to further abuse or
ignore the bike and its condition, making the matter worse and worse, and
making the expense and effort of repair much greater. On the other hand a
well cared for bike will react like you expect it to react, and will
reward you for your attention.
Repairing ~
"The bicycle is the last advance in technology everybody understands.
Anybody who can ride one can understand how is works." – Stewart
Parker. “Spokesong”
You ride it, you fix it. It’s a given. If you ride for long, be assured
you will have to fix something. Like dying, you can do things to prolong
it, but you cant avoid it. This year, I bought Specialized Armadillo
tires made of kevlar in order to avoid the frustrations inherent with
stopping to fix flat tires. Now sometimes you get one thing at the expense
of another. This is a good example. The riding and handling of these tires
are not as good as some others. That is because its not their main purpose
and strength. But, the performance regards to flat prevention has
been fantastic. I have gone 2,100 miles without a flat. That is really
great, however, I still carry a repair kit. I don’t kid myself. I know its
going to go flat.
You should
learn to make repairs for several reasons. The most important reason
is to prevent you from being stranded. Having the ability to make repairs
while on the road is the difference between completing your ride, which
will get you to your destination, and sitting by the side of the road,
stranded and in need of help from someone else. Making repairs on
your bike can also be beneficial to the me, giving me a sense of
accomplishment, and a feeling of satisfaction. It is also a good
thing that I’m not paying the shop mechanic to do the work. Working on the
bike, seems to promote that feeling of oneness. It helps bring me and the
bike closer together, as one, much like couples feel after repairing
some difference between them. Knowing how to make repairs also gives you
the ability and background to knowledgeably discuss with and relate to
other bikers. As with so many areas of expertise, if you discuss bikes
long enough you will find people with much more extensive knowledge and
experience than you. And it is those people with whom you want to relate,
if you wish to become more knowledgeable. Anytime you want to get better,
smarter or improve on something, the best strategy is to go to someone
better or smarter than you.
Riding Alone And With Others
~
"Refrain from throwing your bicycle in public, it shows poor
upbringing." – Jacque Phelan
Biking is a flexible activity in that it can be enjoyed alone, or with
others.
Biking alone gives the best opportunity for reflection, thought, deep
absorption of feelings and the effects of the environment around you. It
also gives you much more control over scheduling. When you start or stop,
what route you take, how long your stops last, are all decisions that one
person can make without having to take in to consideration, another’s
needs. Its much quitter, sometimes allowing for peaceful, thought
processing time. That’s the mental advantage. The physical one is that you
have complete freedom to dictate pace, speed, direction, stopping points,
if frees you of the distraction of constantly factoring in the other
riders actions, in to your split second decisions. Riding with others in
close contact requires a great deal of trust in all of you. You have to
trust what they are going to do, and they have to trust in you. You
should have that ability to know what they are going to do, before they do
it. They should know how you are going to react in a given
situation. The importance of all that is that your heath and well
being are dependant upon the actions of those other bikers as well as on
your own actions. The harsh reality is that you are responsible for the
lives and safety of other bikers as well as your own. You mistake can have
devastating results to your partner.
Riding with others requires much more flexibility and patience.
There is even the ability to ride with others, yet be alone.
Why Ride? ~
A Zen teacher saw five of his students returning from the market,
riding their bicycles. When they arrived at the monastery and had
dismounted, the teacher asked the students, “Why are you riding your
bicycles?”
The first student replied, “The bicycle is carrying the sack of
potatoes. I am glad that I do not have to carry them on my back!” The
teacher praised the first student, “You are a smart boy, When you grow
old, you will not walked hunched over like I do.”
The second student replied, “I love to watch the trees and fields pass
by as I roll down the path.” The teacher commended the second student,
“your eyes are open, and you see the world”
The third student replied, “When I ride my bicycle, I am content to
chant the name myoho renge kyo.” The teacher gave praise to the third
student. “Your mind will roll with the ease of a newly trued wheel.”
The fourth student replied, “Riding my bicycle, I live in harmony with
all sentient beings.” The teacher was pleased, and said to the fourth
student, “You are riding on the golden path of non-harming.”
The fifth student replied, “I ride my bicycle to ride
my bicycle.” The teacher sat at the feet of the fifth student and said,
“I am your student!”
-From Shawn Gosleski, New Cyclist, Fall 1988
A bike rider will ask that question of themselves. Ask it a lot. At a lot
of different times. Other people will ask that question. When others ask
the question, I don’t think they are sure why, or what kind of answer to
expect. Or even how to fully process the answer that they get. It almost
without fail a question posed by someone who does not ride, and therefore
doesn’t understand, and perhaps wishes to be enlightened. To find that one
reason that tells them, yes, you must get on the bike. But I don’t think
they can understand any answer given to them when you tell it. It isn’t
really even one answer, or the same answer on any one day. In fact its
likely to be a different answer at different parts of a ride on the same
day. The reality is, that there are hundreds of words or phases to
describe the benefits, the positives, and the reasons for riding that
bike, but the words cant fully encapsulate the experience. Just as
pictures don’t often do justice to the beautiful scenery, words cant often
do justice to the explanation. In fact, sometimes the words make the
whole explanation just sound crazy. Its difficult to positively convey the
feelings involved in swooping downhill on a twisting road full
of potholes looking to swallow your tire, to feel the sun burn your back
on a sweltering ride, or the aches in your legs as you reach the halfway
point of a long uphill climb, or that totally spent feeling you experience
at the completion of a 100 mile ride. A rider will ask themselves this
same question during those times. Half serious, and half in jest. It does
seem crazy, foolish or just plain miserable, yet, more often than not, its
where they want to be. Its fun despite the pain. Enjoyable not matter how
uncomfortable, memorable regardless of how miserable. I rider knows
why. Often they can put it in to words, often they cannot. Sometimes I get
on the bike, and immediately feel free, alive and as one with the world
around me. I like to let my mind and emotions get that rush of freedom,
and exposure to the elements, before the muscles feel the effects of the
physical efforts.
During the
first parts of the ride, there is that freshness, an antsy expectation,
your mind, thoughts, emotions and senses race along just as your body
does, eager to take in everything around you. Then as the ride
progresses you begin to focus on the challenges that you know are
upcoming. You can relax a little, get in control of your emotions, and
begin to get very comfortable. You know what you are doing what is
happening and what you can expect, and just as importantly you feel very
good about it. As the ride progresses, things may change. Some changes may
be in your control whereas some may not. Personal changes, physical
changes, environmental changes, many things that serve to alter a
riding experience. A rider has to know that these changes are going to
happen, they have to know to expect them, be prepared for them, to
adjust to them, and get through them. It is during these changes that a
rider often evaluates the whys. And if they are successful in
understanding, then the ride will be successful. Some times, during
a long or difficult ride, the experience becomes a little less fun. Then
it becomes a little more of a challenge. A challenge to ones self, a goal,
reason, or an accomplishment. It is then when the experience requires,
commitment, effort, and dedication. While much of it is physical, there is
that mental effort required that just adds to that whole reason why a
rider goes for the ride. To do it. To have done it. Done in just the right
way, a ride can create many of the illusions inherent in an entire life.
And the good part is, you can re do it as many times as you would like, in
as many different fashions as you can imagine.
When To Ride ~
"I thought of it while riding my bike." – Albert Einstein on the
theory of relativity.
There are many external factors that can influence a ride. Its really the
internal forces that dictate it. In other words, when you ride you have so
many variables that may be beyond your control. Weather conditions and
time being the chief ones. You might argue that even time is somewhat in
your control, that leaves weather. The simplest, easiest, and comfortable
approach would be to ride when its warm, sunny, calm and bright, but not
when its cold, rainy, windy and dark. This is widely accepted as the fun
way to do it. Now, there are physical factors to consider such as you
physical condition at the time, but that is a fitness viewpoint and that
view is very superficial.
While riding
is often about fitness, at the deepest level, fitness is only a product
of, not a reason for the ride. When you are thinking of when you are to
ride your bike, you must factor in why you ride your bike. To the store,
to work, to no where in particular, to socialize, to somewhere and
back, just to be going somewhere on the bike. A rider will often
ride simply because the bike or the open air call them out. Perhaps to
feel the wind in the hair, to let off steam, release anxiety, to calm and
center oneself, or to make that personal effort to complete an
accomplishment that means nothing to anyone but the rider themselves.
These are the things that get riders out on the bike in the rain, the
dark, the bitter cold, or wind. It may be because they have to, or they
have committed themselves and are unwilling to relent and give in to those
external pressures that are attempting to defeat them, pushing them off
their bike and away from their world. Or, it may be because those external
forces are a force that must be met and conquered, or at least endured.
All riders can proudly detail for you the suffering they had endured
during their long ride in miserable conditions. It was awful, it was not
pleasant. No fun at all. That is the outer voice talking, the one
concerned about safety, health, security, all those base level needs. But
that inner voice, that is the one that is saying to yourself, yes, I’m
doing this. I’m making it, getting through it, toughing it out. Afterward
it becomes a milestone of an accomplishment and it becomes one of those
things you can look back with a small amount of pride. Some riders aren’t
willing to allow anything to get in the way of their love. They wont be
bullied in to stopping because its wet or cold, and they create protection
to help them through it. That protection can be either mental, or
physical, in the case of better or additional equipment, whatever it
takes. The human mind is amazing in that way. The mind is made up, and
must constantly devise plans, or methods of support in order to
rationalize, reason or otherwise accomplish the goal of getting on that
bicycle.
So maybe, the
question of when to ride, is really a mix of personal needs and personal
wants. But even most of these personal needs are really just wants that
have been somehow molded in to a need. Therefore, like so many other
things in life, you ride when you want. There are thousands of different
ways to formulate those wants, but that’s what its about. Every rider has
their reasons why they want to, and those reasons are as varied as
snowflakes, which is exactly the way it should be. So doesn’t that mean
the biking is a tool for simplifying or boiling down life to some tangible
denominator? Varied individuals, all with various reasons, with a wide
assortment of skills, and a variety of approaches, all doing the same
identical thing. Pedaling. Everyone in the world does this. Some of us are
just lucky enough to be able to do some of it on a bike.
Accessories ~
As I contemplate the choice and use of bike accessories, I first
asked myself, just makes an accessory. What is it, why do we need it.. So
I looked it up. Webster, 7th edition. One definition of accessory is a:
“Thing of secondary or subordinate importance”. That is a simple, easy
answer to what an accessory is in most cases, including biking. But how do
we define that. What goes on the required list and what goes on the
accessory list. Well, we know that different people have different needs,
and are driven by different forces, therefore it would follow that
different people put different things on each list. No one is able to
judge for anyone else what should be on their list, so therefore isn’t it
unfair for someone to judge, or influence or otherwise treat, or view
other people by their lists. Those lists are a small part of what makes
the individual.
Obvious
examples in biking accessories could be the helmet. A helmet wont help you
go faster, or climb easier, or ride longer distances. I happen to
believe there are a lot of valid reasons that anyone riding a bike
should wear a helmet. I do in all cases. I like my head, I would like to
protect it. I want my family and friends to be similarly as protected. Its
my opinion that riders wearing helmets are treated with more respect while
on the road than those riders without them. I conveys a sense of
seriousness, capability, responsibility and common sense that people like
to see in others. My rule at home is my boys don’t ever get on the bike
without their helmet. That means I put the helmet on the required
equipment side of the ledger. Consider other accessories. Fenders for
example. They too, will not help you go faster, or climb easier, or ride
longer distances. On sunny days they don’t do anything at all but
get in the way, so why have them. It rains a lot in Oregon. So, if you
ride very much, you will ride in the rain, and some people like the
protection they provide. And wouldn’t consider going without them. So,
they are necessary. Wait, I haven’t had fenders since I rode my stingray
as a child. That must mean that I put them on the accessory side of the
ledger. Something nice, and as Webster says, “a thing of secondary or
subordinate importance”. I might like them, perhaps I should get them,
maybe they will make me happier, so maybe there is more to this accessory
stuff than first thought. Webster goes on to give this definition: “Not
essential in itself, but adding to the beauty, convenience or
effectiveness of something else.” So fenders fit this definition.
Lights fit in. Maybe a bell, clipless pedals. Water bottles, racks, on and
on. So then, even if they aren’t required, or if they aren’t so important
that they can be of any use if not associated with your bike, they are
needed because of what they add to the beauty, convenience and
effectiveness of the riding experience. All those things you could
argue are therefore required and not accessories at all. Adding to the
beauty, convenience and effectiveness of the bike is what riders dream
about, It should be their constant aspiration.
Can this same
theory be applied to relationships as well, I wonder? Where do
relationships fall in this ledger like attempt at reconciling the needs
from the wants. I guess that depends on where you are. There are those
that could argue that the only relationship on the required side, is their
relationship with God. That is the relationship that is needed in order to
get where they are going safely. All other relationships can somehow fit
in to the “thing of secondary or subordinate importance” category. I cant
fault that thinking. Remember, different people and different ledgers. Yet
maybe there is some use for me in this line of thinking if I can just look
at it a little differently. A look at my list would reveal that
relationship on the required side. My relationship with God is the focal
point of my very existence. Every other aspect of my life somehow owes its
roots to that point in my inner being. Yet to me, other relationships
cannot be viewed as “thing of secondary or subordinate importance” A
persons relationships affect their outlook on life, their experiences
and their very being. While it may be possible to look upon
the act of obtaining a relationship as an accessory to your life, once you
possess that accessory, then you have to view it differently. Perhaps its
still an accessory, but it is now defined as something that adds to the
beauty, convenience and effectiveness of your life. Once you realize that,
doesn’t it have to be moved off the accessory side of the ledger and on to
the needed side?
The Proper Fit ~
"Be at one with the universe. If you can’t do that be at one with your
bike." – Lennard Zinn
While you ride it, your bike should be your best friend. Mentally,
emotionally and physically, you are dependant on that bike for many things
in many ways. The way the bike fits and feels is an important factor
in all of these areas. The most obvious aspect, and the one we normally
think of first when we think of fit is the physical aspects. How does it
look to us? Is the shape, style, color, age, condition, and functionality
right for us?
Sure, those characteristics are important initially. But they aren’t the
ones that make the difference. They are the physical things. Those things
you can point to, and admire and be proud of, or take care of. For
instance, the style, shape and functionality of a bike make that bike
unique. They are what differentiate it from another bike. They most often
are things that realistically cannot, or should not be changed. Why have
one type of bike and then expend time and energy in an attempt to change
it to another type. Wouldn’t the other type of bike be the better choice
from the start? These characteristics aren’t what keep us on
the bike, that make it fun and seem all worthwhile. So if it isn’t those
physical, or outward appearances, then what? It is likely the fit of the
bike that is most crucial. What we really care about is how it feels to
you to be with it. To go places. Sometimes I use the bike to take me where
I want to go. Sometimes I will go someplace because it gives me someplace
for my bike to take me. To go great distances together. After
completing a long ride, I often carry a great satisfaction with me that
the bike and I had completed this specific journey. The memory is usually
always good, even when the experience at the time was not. However, when I
take these long rides, I feel so discouraged and frustrated when I am not
comfortable on the bike. The longer I spend, the more uncomfortable, and
the more frustrated I become. So that poor fit has now succeeded in taking
away some of the enjoyment of the moment. Now I may be a little proud that
I accomplished it despite of the discomfort, but that does certainly not
mean I would want to experience it that same way again. To
spend time together. Just to ride. For the enjoyment of the comfort it
provides. To enjoy that feeling of being together, of what the bike can do
for you. Or better, what the bike helps you do for you. The bike should
not cause you undue pain. The bike and you should feel as one. You need to
trust the bike and to trust yourself while you ride. The appearance of the
bike does nothing to inspire trust. The way you feel when you are on the
bike is what inspires the trust. When you fit together, you feel as
one. The bike is a natural extensions of yourself, providing you all the
benefits it can provide and doing little to hinder, or hurt you. Why
should you feel the same pain or aches every time you get on the bike.
There are too many bikes and fits out there, and life is too short. How
unpleasant is that feeling of relief you may get by getting off the bike.
Wouldn’t a feeling of reluctantly, with perhaps a little sadness accompany
that process of stopping that which is meant to make you feel so good? If
I feel better, or am relieved by getting off the bike, I may have spent
too much time on it. If it’s a bad fit, even a short ride is way too much.
A fit that is acceptable, but nothing more, will allow for longer times,
but you usually know immediately that you wont want this ride for long.
Now sometimes, even with a perfect fit, after a long or strenuous ride you
will naturally feel much better to get the heck off that bike but you do
so in a sort of temporary respite. Knowing full well you liked it, and it
wont be long and you will want to right back on it.
A February Ride ~
"When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes
monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle
and go our for a spin down the road without thought on anything but the
ride you are taking." –Arthur Conan Doyle, 1896
It is an early morning, in February. A day in which I find myself with
some hours that are not yet scheduled. When contemplating the options of
what I can do to file those hours, one of the things that are always
considered is, can I ride? Well, it is one of those grey, dismal, February
mornings. You know there is a sun out there somewhere, but the thickness
of the sky prevents you from pinpointing exactly where that sun may be.
With no discernable holes in this blanket, it seems that its not likely we
will see it anytime soon either. Yet it is still a free Saturday. My
friend operates under the philosophy that it doesn’t matter what the
weather is like, or whether it is light or dark. You should be outside.
So, I finally put my reluctance aside and the decision is made. Its time
for a ride. The next thing to do is to check the conditions. The sky
hasn’t changed, but its not raining, so that’s a good thing. So, its time
to consider what to wear. What a biker wears, or doesn’t wear it crucial
in any ride you take that requires you to wear something more than shorts.
This was definitely not a shorts kind of day. A quick check on the
thermometer shows 39. Ouch. I briefly consider waiting till it warms a
little, but throw that idea out after deciding this also isn’t the kind of
day that’s going to warm up any more in the afternoon than it is in the
morning. If I’m going to go at all, then now is the time to go. But how
much to wear is still yet to be determined. Well, first I have to decide
where to go and how far to go, as this should have some bearing on what I
should wear. With this being early in the season, I decide this should be
a mid range ride, on a fairly flat course. Besides it will give me a
chance to check the mileage of the Springwater Corridor route which
will help me with some route planning in the future. This means I
should be out for a while, and a ways from home, meaning it would be
better to be over prepared than to be under prepared. This also means a
flatter course will be faster, thus colder than a hilly course that would
be slower and warmer. The top part of the body is easy, 3 layers and a
raincoat to help the battle with the wind and I’m done. The legs are
another issue. I consider my options. Wear the tights, or wear the looser
pants. Both have their pros and cons. But 39 is still darn cold. Lets wear
them both! So I gather up all my supplies and equipment and I am
off. I start out taking a route slightly different than I normally go,
which forces me to link up the route over two other roads, neither of
which I’m really excited about riding on. At the last minute I decide to
go up Roots road, since, for the moment there is no cars on that stretch.
I had ridden Roots road on at least two other occasions. Both times I have
a memory of deciding that I didn’t want to ride on this road again, as it
has absolutely no shoulder. The white line is 6 inches from the edge of
the pavement which in most places drops 3 inches to the pot hole lined
gravel road bed. I know I don’t want to get off the road and risk a near
certain fall due to the uneven and dangerous surface I would be on. So, I
must hug the curb. The traffic that was non existent when I turn up Roots
road has suddenly appeared. Headed by two diesel trucks hauling wide flat
bed trailers. Both trucks somewhat patiently follow behind without passing
despite my best attempts at charting a precisely straight route 6 inches
from the drop off the road. Finally a spot in which they can pass. They
both pull out and pass me, and when pulling back in, they swing their wide
trailers back to the shoulder so that they are fully hanging over the
sides of the road. I think they did that to show me that it was really
nice of them to not sweep the bike right out from under me as they powered
past me. And that I should be grateful. I am. Once again I decide to
not ride on this road again. Out the path I go. Heading east against the
east winds, and slightly up hill in the climb away from the river and
towards the hills. My hypothesis that it wasn’t going to warm up is
strengthened by the fact that it now begins to snow. In my
subconscious I think that it should only snow in December, and that I
shouldn’t be riding in December, but I fight to retain clarity and to
convince myself that I am not entirely crazy to be out here, despite the
cold and the snow. After all there are a few other people that are also
out, so at least its not just me. I am encouraged by the fact that at
least its dry, If I were wet I am sure I would be colder, but I feel good,
it’s a great ride so far. Nearing the halfway point in my ride I stop to
stretch, let my heart rate drop, eat a granola bar and drink. I
remember that I sweat even in frigid temperatures and its important to
keep that fluid balance in my body. Just as important it gives me a time
to adjust my clothing and to warm up my toes which are now beginning to
get cold. I am still hungry and know I should eat more, and despite all my
clothing and the pace of the ride, I am still mostly cold, so cant stop
for long. I continue the ride out to the end of the path, note the
mileage and begin the ride back.
Up to this
point the snow has been constant and increasing in size of flakes, to the
point where the con flake sized flakes would make it very difficult to see
out through my glasses. Soon the rate of snowfall starts to diminish. This
becomes disconcerting to me when I realize that the decrease in snow, is
caused be an increase in rain. It doesn’t appear to have gotten warmer
outside, just wetter. Which means I’m going from dry and cold to wet
and colder. Now I have come to the point in the ride where it is beginning
to not be as fun any more. So, the decision is made to not ride the length
of the trail then back track to the cutoff point to head home, rather to
just take the cut off point now and leave the remaining portion of
the trail untouched, knowing that I will get back to it at another time.
The rain increases, and I stop to turn on the flashing light, slightly
increasing my ability to be seen before I am run off the road. It has been
over two hours and it is time to pick up the pace. There are two final
obstacles to overcome between me, and home. The first being the busy 4
lane express way with its interminably long wait at the light in order to
cross. I continue to push myself up to the point where I am near enough to
spot that intersection. A quarter mile away I see the cars making the left
hand turn on their light. Experience tells me that the next light change
will be mine and I don’t want to wait for the next one. So, I sprint,
knowing that I must give it all that I have in order to make it, and
resigning myself to being fully spent when I reach it. I just pray that my
gamble pays off and that I can reach it in time. I am able to enter
the intersection as the light turns yellow. I wouldn’t stop my momentum
till I was halfway across should I decide to try, to the only option is to
continue to push through, mentally willing all the cars to remain
motionless until I can get through. They do so, willingly and I’m across
the intersection, nearly no energy left, as I knew I would, to face that
final ascent up the hill to my street. I slowly make the climb up, with
just enough energy to keep the bike moving forward all the while hoping
that my heart rate will drop down to a safe and manageable level. I make
it home, and after a quick cleanup of the bike, its inside to strip off
the wet layer of clothes and to immediately grab some food in an attempt
to appease my increasing appetite, while I wonder if frostbite feels like
this. Then it is upstairs for that hot shower. A great ride, now that its
done. As I shower I think, .I am still wet, but I’m warmer now, and
I’m happy.
Cash And The Art Of
Bicycle Maintenance ~
A good relationship can be expensive. Sometimes we just let it become
that way. Sometimes we choose to enter in to expensive relationships.
Sometimes we end up paying a lot to keep that relationship going. It can
be fun. It can often hurt. Then there is the uncomfortable position you
are in, when you must make that decision. Is it all worth it? Why is a
good relationship expensive? Well, all relationships take care, time,
effort, commitment and often times cash. These are the things that help
it grow and last, if you scrimp on any of these things the relationship
can full into disrepair. At that point, it takes even more of these
resources to repair the damage, or, worse it puts you in that
uncomfortable decision. I think there are a few of similarities between
the maintenance of our personal relationships and that of our bike. When
I bought my Trek road bike, I made a decision on the cost of the
relationship that I was entering in to. I could have chosen a much more
expensive relationship, but I wasn’t in the position to commit the
money needed to enter in to that one. I could have committed a lot
less and entered in to a relationship with another bike, but that bike
would not have returned to me the benefits I was looking for in the
relationship, so I had to consider what I could give to, and what
I needed to get from, the relationship, and then make my decision. But
at the same time, I made that little agreement with myself in what I was
willing to do to maintain that relationship. Which means I couldn’t make
this investment, and commitment and then treat it like a cheap bike.
Likewise I couldn’t go in to this relationship and lavish my resources
in such a way as to try to make it something it is not. Today the bike
and I return from the bike shop. The bike wasn’t sick, or broken. Maybe
just tired, a little worn from the last three years. I have cared
for it all along the way, even taking it in for a tuning each year, but
its early on, in what could be a long season, and I wanted to make sure
the bike was being taken care of. So its in to the shop for an overhaul.
Oh, I could have don’t most all of the work myself, if I wanted to
commit
the time. I don’t know if I wasn’t willing to commit the time to
save the money, or that I wanted it done by someone with an
experienced eye and hand, and in a way that would be it done quicker.
Anyway, its home now, cleaner and not nearly so worn and tired.
I think I bring this up, because, it really didn’t seem like it needed
to be done, but I chose to make the effort anyway, just to make sure
that the bike was maintained and taken care of. Because I knew the
better I take care of it the better it will take care of me. So, like I
said, its back home. It now has new shift cables, new chain and a new
small chain ring. It isn’t unusual for the cables and chain to wear out.
Those are the common replacement things that are expected to be worn
out. The small chain ring was a bit of a surprise. I was surprised I
have used it enough to wear it out. Perhaps somewhat indignant that I
wore it out before the middle ring. In any case it appears I rely on
that small ring more than I thought and more than I give the bike credit
for. Then that makes this extra care my way of saying thanks. Plus, I’m
able to recycle the old one. With just a little buffing, it turns into
pretty cool inexpensive art. The perfect size for a picture frame. I can
look upon it as a form of enjoyment for me as payback for my care and
effort. But this is just common upkeep stuff. Nothing to make think what
am I doing in this relationship. We are we headed? Is it worth it? Am I
doing the right thing? Trouble with a wheel is a real potential problem.
Turns out there are small cracks appearing on the rear wheel. Not
seriously significant now, but if it is ignored, it will only get worse
and demand attention later. Usually at a most inopportune time. So there
are choices to be made. When should I recognize there is a problem and
take action to resolve it. Should I even attempt to maintain the wheel
in order to maintain the relationship, should I go as long as possible
without acting? How much of a commitment should be made in the effort to
fix it? I really like this bike, I want to keep it with me for a long
while. And, therefore, I need for it to take as good as care of me as it
can. Besides, if I know its breaking, and don’t do anything, it is
likely to go out on me at the worst possible time just to spite
me. But really, I do it for me. I replace that wheel. I replace it
with a wheel that is a step up from what it did have. Its my effort to
make one more part of my life a little better. I’m keeping the old one
as a spare, I may need it someday.
Benefits Of Getting Fit ~
There are many reasons why you may want to ride a bike. Many kinds of
motives. You ask yourself those things, or else someone else does.
all the time. Getting in shape is a good one. As good as most others I
guess. I had stopped riding for some time before picking it up again.
Many reasons for that too I suppose. Though not as many motives. Maybe a
lack of motivation is why we stop doing or enjoying those things
that we used to do and enjoy. Distractions, a lack of interest, I
don’t know. I just know that I did it, I enjoyed it, and it was good for
me. Then suddenly I had found that I stopped doing it and not because I
actually stopped enjoying it. It then became one of those snowball
things we so often find ourselves traveling in, without even knowing it.
The longer I longer I lived without riding, the lower my condition
sank. My condition in this case can mean many things, but mostly it
refers to my physical, mental and emotional conditions. These of course
are important conditions for all of us, and critical in our ability to
enjoy the life and freedoms of which we are blessed. But, those
conditions deteriorated, and with it my drive and desire to ride, and
that then contributed to further deterioration’s, which snowballed on
and on. My motivations in life began to fade, and seep from
by being. There eventually came a time in my life where I was able to
pull myself out of that spiral , and begin a slow climb upward. I made
that climb, partly because my physical condition began to improve. I
lost weight, began to eat better and get more exercise. Plus, my
emotional state began to stabilize. I became aware that mentally, I
could and should begin to exert and challenge myself more.
One outcome of this revelation was that I realized I was strong enough
to muster the desire and motivation to get back on. It was as though I
could look from the outside in. From this vantage point, getting back on
was a pathway to improvement. To improve my strength, condition,
fitness, way of life. To begin to feel even better. To find a way to not
only improve, but lengthen my life….. It was hard. It is true that once
you learn to ride you never forget. But you can forget what it takes to
ride very far, or very fast, or for a very long time. I was slow. I got
very tired. I couldn’t make many difficult climb. I wasn’t strong
enough, physically or mentally, to make those climbs. It is still hard.
Yet I know that what was hard for me then is not as hard for me now. My
body and mind are better prepared. They are used to it. They are
stronger, better fit, better prepared and better able to put forth the
effort and commitment it takes to do it. And with that comes all sorts
of benefits. I feel better when I ride, and I feel better when I’m
not. And I feel very good about it. My improvement, brought about
by my own inner strength and motivation, continuos to be a great source
of strength and pride in myself. Yet somehow I feel that I have replaced
some addictions with others. The more I ride, and the better I feel
about it, the more I need to do it. Somehow it feels like it now
snowballs in the other direction. That is ironic. I can live with
that though. I can accept that improving and maintaining a certain level
of overall fitness is a perfectly acceptable reason for being involved
in this activity in the first place Riding a bike just to be fit is not
a sufficient reason, all on its own. Your ability to reap rewards and
satisfaction from any outside influence is compounded by the assortment
of reasons for, and benefits from, its actions. I know for me, being
fits is great reason to ride, but its not the only one, and that is how
it should be.
Falling, And Getting Hurt
~
"The problem is that you can be wounded in your mind as well as your
physique." - Marco Pantani
Its bound to happen. Its part of riding. Maybe it’s a statistical
probability. Or perhaps fate, bad luck, bad planning, carelessness or
stupidity. Falling down, or falling off can be a terrifying thing,
though we cannot be terrified of it. Perhaps it is just a part of
riding. As you go through life, you will fall a time or two. You will fall
for the same type of reasons too. Sooner or later, we all do it. The
number of falls, or the severity of them differs for a lot of reasons.
Which means that maybe we cant avoid them. At least maybe we cant or
shouldn’t live our with the plan that we will avoid them, or at least
avoid them all. When we do that we retreat within ourselves and do not
reach our full potential. We miss out on the excitement, and fail to reap
the regards of the risk. The process of falling down is rarely ever
a fun thing to do. But we can argue that that same process can be a
beneficial thing to us. How can that be good? Well, how do we recover from
the falls.
Now in biking.
Like so many other physical activities that have risk associated with them
, there is always the risk of serious injury or death. This is where we
approach biking with a real sense of self preservation. Our goal here is
to do what we can to protect ourselves. The risk/reward decision in this
case is very clear. Helmets, lights in the dark, stay off freeways, be
wary of traffic those sort of things are givens. It makes no sense to
ignore them. There is no debating the black and white decisions to avoid
those risks. So, what we should really consider, or mix into our lives are
the grayer areas for which there is often no right or wrong answer.
Falling hurts us. Consider the many ways in which we hurt. Most every ones
first thought is that it hurts us physically. True, it’s a valid concern
to be protective of you health and safety of your body. But you know, your
body heals. The cuts, bruises, and even bones can mend. That does not make
me an advocate of physical abuse. To the contrary, I tend to be rather
protective of my body as well. But that is not to say that I wont ride, in
fear that I will develop a sudden, severe case of road rash. Physical
injuries can be a blessing. When a person gets sick or injured, one of the
things they think about is how great it is to not be sick or injured. So,
here we are, with all of our pain and despair, and at the same time we are
developing a greater appreciation of the blessings that have been bestowed
upon us. Those same injuries are now a visible, tangible mark. Something
we, or others can point to, relate to and emphasize with. It could even be
some sort of badge of honor. Something that, while not being proud of
receiving, we are at least proud of living through. All the while showing
strength if we can get back on that bike, with those reminders and pedal
once again. We have to, we cant let those injuries defeat us. Once they
do, they stop being the physical injuries that everyone is pointing to and
identifying as to terrors related to the risks or riding. Now, they have
become a whole new injury. That is the mental and emotional one. Harder to
deal with. Harder to fix. The remedies aren’t as easy to apply. Aspirins,
Band-Aids, and antiseptic are useless with the emotional ones. Estimating
the rate of recovery is totally different.
Unlike our
bruised knee, we cannot tell how long the long a bruised psyche will take
to recover. Or if it ever will. Plus, the damage is never visible to you
or anyone else. The symptoms of that damage is what becomes visible. Those
symptoms can in turn cause much more damage. This is because, you
sometimes are not able to clearly attribute the symptoms to the damage.
And if you cannot make that connection, within your own mind, it is not
possible for anyone else to make that connection about you. When you bruse
you knee, you limp. Therefore, when you are limping, we can draw a
correlation from the limping to the damage on the knee. The emotional
bruising caused by your fall, may cause you to limp through portions of
your life. That limping is very hard to correlate with the bruising. So,
after that fall, and the assessment of all the damage you once again
re-asses the risk/rewards of riding and ask yourself, can I risk it? What
about when you fall again. Now the pains are compounded. Yes, maybe you
are more used to it, or better know how to fall in order to give yourself
the best chance of protection. But you have still fallen once again. So
other doubts now have the opportunity to creep in. Why do I keep doing
this, why cant I avoid it, and will it continue to happen. What do I need
to change, in order to change this patter n that seems to be forming. So,
now it’s an issue of confidence, self doubt, self worth, of trust in
yourself, in God and a general sense of value. I guess if we are
considering all types of damage we need to at least consider the damage
done to the bike itself. If it is just the bike that is hurt, that can be
a very bad thing, since the biker is likely to sustain emotional pain,
most likely because they did something really stupid that caused the
damage, and most likely caused the financial burden required
to remedy the situation. On the other hand, you sometimes have the
opportunity to improve from this unfortunate situation. You may be able to
upgrade! Maybe go on to something better, for which you will be happier.
There is always that change. Is continuing on, worth the risk of going
through this damage once again. You had better say yes.
My Blue Bikes Life Story ~
"Bicycle tracks will abound in Utopia." – H.G. Wells
Model 824, Color #08, serial number kg105165. it says that right on the
receipt. A precise description and identification. This information can
tell us exactly what this is, where and when it was made, what it looks
like. It can tell us a lot. But, it can really only identify its
beginning, igt ways nothing of the rest of its existence. The date
on this receipt is 5/16/1972. That’s the date I bought my first bike. That
color #08 tells us that the color is blue. A pure sky blue. That shade you
see in the early morning of a day without a trace of white anywhere to be
seen. White pin striping, and the letters Schwinn Super Sport, just like
is says on the receipt.
The serial number tells us that this bike was manufactured in October of
1971.
The only other information on the receipt is the price. I paid 139.95 for
my classic ten speed Super Sport road bike. A model one step below their
top of the line Paramount. It was the best bike I could afford. A good
decision there. I still think you should buy the best bike you can afford.
I had to pay 10.00 deposit, and picked it up four days later, on a
Saturday. So, that’s what we know about the bike so far. But it is now
2001 and the bike is now 30 years old. I still have it. I can still ride
it. I don’t ride it much though as I have since been lured to a much newer
bike, falling in love with all the beauty and feature new technology can
spoil us with. Today, it sits in a bike stand in the family room, giving
me a chance to pedal indoors when it isn’t possible to do so outdoors. So,
I guess I still do ride it. But we have built a tremendous bound,
this old blue bike and I. In a way its been an easy and unforced one. Sort
of unspoken. I rarely give much thought to any bond we may have, but I
know its there. Having owned the bike for 30 years, one might feel the
need to give the bike a nickname. Maybe in a way of creating or
reinforcing some sort of connection, or sense of ownership. My bike
doesn’t have a nickname that has stuck. I just don’t ever remember
bothering to come up with a name for it. Never considered selling it
either, taking it with me wherever I lived. In 1972, I was 16, and I
needed a good bike to get around town with. I needed a good bike to get
out of town with. Getting out was a big reason for it. It was at that time
that my friend Scott and I came up with the plan to go on a bike tour, and
that would require a road bike. Bike ownership now went to the next level.
There were now things to clean, adjust, fiddle with, and to make sure
worked just right. It was now time to avoid the ditches, mud, and
curbs, and to take on a small sense of responsibility. Its been a good
ride. Through these 30 years, the bike has endured a lot, yet changed very
little. I think that the handlebars were covered with a matching blue
plastic tape, consistent with what was popular at the time. That was
quickly changed to a denim blue cloth tape as the handle bars were much
too hard without any cushioning. That tape stayed on for many years, just
recently getting replaced with black cloth tape. No cork or padded rubber
tape here. I felt I had to stick with something that seemed original, and
unable to find blue anymore, we settled for black. The bike has brake
handle extensions so I can brake from any hand positions on the bar. I
love those brakes, and somehow technology seems to have taken a step back
by passing them by. It also has a kickstand! Perhaps one of the single
biggest mysteries of biking today, is just why the kickstand has
disappeared from the design of all "good" bikes, and is only found on the
lesser quality ones. The rack on the back was put on right after I bought
it. It has carried a ton of stuff. No fenders. Didn’t ever seem like they
belonged on the bike. When it rained, I used to strap cardboard to the
rack to catch most of the water spraying up my back. Long gear shift
levers, right up on the stem where they are easy to reach. I always
believed they were in the best position of any bike I had ever seen. That
was until I say the net STI shifters. I do love my blue bike, but those
shifters just aren’t in the right place anymore. There is no mounts built
in for water bottles or pumps. There just wasn’t the need for it at that
time. There are now two bottle racks strapped on the down tubes. I have
left on the original steel pedals. The original toe clips were replaced
with a pair that better fit me. The old ones went to the bike for my son.
Clipless pedals seem to modern for this bike, and I have avoided them on
this bike, fearing it would reduce the classic look. I think that the rear
wheel is original. There is a testament to quality construction. You
cannot get that sort of life out of wheels anymore. The front wheel has
been replaced. It was during college. I had locked the bike, and the rear
wheel, just not the front. The next morning, it was gone. Still, that was
25 years ago, and that wheel is still turning. It came with a Brooks,
molded leather seat. Those seats were great. They withstood all sorts of
weather and abuse, seeming to mold to your body, softened with use, yet
remained tough and durable. After 25 years of use, though, it began to sag
and has since been replaced twice.
The last one
was a gel seat with built in flashing lights. Having never really liking
either one, and, having kept my original Brooks seat, I may put it back
on. Recently I had the dream of taking this bike on cycle Oregon, a 500
mile 7 day trip. To that end I knew I had to make some upgrades. The seat
was one of them. The other one being that addition of a third chain ring.
Bikes in those days, only had two. After all, these were modern bikes, and
who would ever need more than TEN speeds anyway? But after grueling hours
spent climbing seemingly endless hills, I wanted that third ring, and my
dream of retaining that classic look on the bike would just have to suffer
a little. Better that the bike suffer than for me to suffer. I kept the
old chain rings too. Today they hang on the wall in the house. Seems like
a strange thing to do, but I just think of it as art. The bike has so many
scratches that it just may take as much paint to touch them up, as it
would to repaint the entire thing. I reject the idea of a new paint job as
it would cover the original stripping and lettering that I could never
replace. And of course it would take away from that classic look, and make
it look like an old bike with new paint. Most of all, it would cover up
memories, stories and a lot of the history that sticks to , and affects a
bike that has existed for 30 years.
The Chosen Journey ~
"Itis no exaggeration to affirm that a journey by bicycle is like none
other; it is a thing apart; it has a tempo and a style of its
own." – James E Starrs. “The Noiseless Tenor”
When the decision is made to just get on the bike and ride. When the
intention is only to ride, and not to actually go to, or end up somewhere,
then the matter at hand is just what path you intend to take. Actually
having a destination in mind makes that decision so much easier, for in
that case, your paths are very limited in that the direction you do is
dictated by the destination. This just leaves a little room for variations
in the actual path taken. Now, when you get on the bike with the
intent of just riding somewhere you have no such directional
limitations. Yet when you do that enough times, you can easily
repeat the same tendencies.. After all, it is easy for us as humans to
repeat the same learned tendencies, those things that we know, like and
are comfortable with. In this case it is choosing the same bike route. I
do that. I have a route that I like so I use it. It is comfortable,
I know it well and it suites me and my needs. So I guess it shouldn’t be
surprising that I tend to go that way. I know I cannot just take this
route all the time for I would surely fall into such a deep hole that I
wouldn’t know what to do to recover. In which case I probably wouldn’t ,
but rather, loose interest in it altogether so, I know enough to fall into
such a trap. But I( do go that way often, with the full understanding of
why I chose it. I know the route. I know pretty much what to expect and
when I should expect each challenge that will be presented to me.
Therefore there are few unexpected dangers. Going this same way can
sometimes allow me to focus on other aspects, both physically and
mentally. When the decision making ability, and mental awareness required
to successfully navigate a new path are not dominating the forefront of my
conscious being, I am allowed to expand my thoughts, applying greater
focus to specific thoughts, or free myself from any or all thoughts, or
burdens that may be present. On the route that I know, I can start
out with the knowledge of when the difficult stages will be presenting
themselves to me, so that I can prepare myself along the way for their
appearance. I know when and where I can work harder, and when it is
OK to rest a little. So, maybe this means that if I take the same route as
I had taken before, then this time I will do much better. I can enjoy it
that much more, and make fewer mistakes than the time before. Improving a
little bit each time. As a person you it is difficult to improve if you do
the same things all the time without extending yourself.
The same goes
for a rider. Taking the same route can only take you so far in your
training, or in improving you capabilities. This means that if I intend to
get myself in to a position to make extended rides, then I must push
myself beyond what I can do from taking this same route. That may mean
extending yourself and pushing yourself in order to improve your
capabilities. In taking this same comfortable route as I had taken before
I know that it is within my present capabilities. That is one of the
reasons that I have chosen this route this time. Because it is not beyond
my limitations. Pushing your limitations can be an integral part of life
and of riding, but it is an entirely different approach than this present
discussion. The act of finding, and thus realizing your limitations
cannot be done under this approach. Determining what your limitations are
cannot be truly accomplished until you have exceeded them. Pushing
yourself beyond that limit, all the while having the common sense to know
just when you have gotten there, is what is required in finding that spot.
A person that is truly committed will often feel the need to push that
point farther and farther out, thereby giving them much more latitude in
which to successfully enjoy the benefits. Taking this same route
again and again may not ever help you find that spot and can only go
so far in extending that limit. Which is another reason we must
fight the temptation to rely solely on the comfortable paths of the past.
Taking the same route doesn’t have to mean the same as falling in to
a rut. When I have fallen in to a rut it is because I haven’t given any
thought to a different way, and I make this decision solely because I made
the same decision the last time. My choice was not influenced by any other
factors, in effect blinding me to the fact that there may be other
alternatives. No, I understand the difference. And at this point in my
life, I can overcome that trap while still working in my old reliable,
comfortable route. Even so, while I’m out there, it does take a
conscious effort sometimes to say, I have to change this today. It’s a
good feeling to be able to push, prod and seek out those little surprises
that await you just outside your normal way of doing it.
Granted those
little changes are not predictable, meaning they may be good or bad
decisions, but they most always are decisions from which you can recover.
Last week I decided to radically alter my afternoon workout by taking my
usual route in reverse! What that really meant was that I was still doing
basically the same thing, but now I was taking it in from an opposite
point of view. Looking at all the same things but from a different point
of view. The same streets, houses and river views, but I was really seeing
different things. I was able to take in experiences, sights and feelings
that I had not experienced from all the other times I had taken that very
same route. So, maybe it isn’t the route decision that is crucial in
enjoying the journey, but it is what you take in along the way that really
makes the difference.
If The Goal Is Understood
~
"Does anyone really have to fret about enlightenment? No matter what
road I travel, I’m going home." – Shinsho
We seem to live our life within a structure of goals. The essence of goals
exist in everything we do. That is not to say that we have a goal with
every action, or, that we are consciously aware of a goal that we have
made for ourselves, or for others, but they do exist. Biking lends itself
very well to goals. Maybe because the deliberate acts involved in riding,
mirrors those deliberate actions we undertake in our own life. They can be
short term goals such as finishing a century ride. Or even immediate ones,
that return seemingly instant gratification. Lord, give me strength to
just get to the top of that hill!
And of course the more difficult ones, the long term goals. We all
struggle with this type of goals on a regular basis, maybe because
they are sometimes so difficult to achieve, or that we cant see any
immediate result, or that it is really difficult to clearly see just what
that far off ending place should be for you. People will set goals such
as, “I want to ride 2,000 miles this year”. Such long term goals shouldn’t
be randomly chosen, or wildly determined. It is best if they are set
after undertaking some thought and preparation. If you want to seriously
pursue a goal that is challenging for you, maybe some analysis should be
done on just why you would chose such a challenge. It it an end result, or
is it in preparation for something else. Perhaps it is something that will
give you several benefits, some of which can be measured, and some cannot.
It doesn’t matter what they are, but this sort of analysis can add extra
meaning to your endeavor, which may be of great help to you during those
difficult times you are struggling, and are unsure whether you have
made the right decision, or whether you can accomplish this goal at all.
A great
type of goals are those personal ones, that are made just for you.
They don’t have to be life changing goals in and of themselves but maybe
just goals that will be a stepping stone to something better. Before a
ride I sometimes decide to take a course that will cover a pre-determined
amount of miles. I must decide if I want to ride 15, 30 or 50 miles. That
is a decision for me, I make it for my own reasons, and is not really a
matter for anyone else. All the while, I should be aware of all
factors involved in my effort as I progress towards that goal. It would be
a serious misjudgment on my part if I was not aware of my purpose in the
ride, my physical status, emotional state, and all the other influences
involved. If one of those things deteriorated, I must be capable of
reassessing those goals and make changes accordingly. Just the same, if
everything was better than expected, I should be able to take advantage
of the opportunity presented, and perhaps go farther, or faster than
I first expected. Either way, it most always leads to positive results.
This allows me to keep in touch with one of the primary concepts of goals.
A good goal is one that is achievable. Unachievable goals leads to
frustration, poor performance and increases that possibilities of going on
without any conscious goals. Bicycling is a great example of the other
major fundamental of goals. This is the concept of measurement. A good
goal should be measurable. How else can we determine that we have met that
goal. We all have set goals in our life in such a way that they aren’t
easily measurable, or even measurable at all. People set long term goals
when in fact they are really setting paths, or foundations of their
lives. A married couple will say to themselves, we will always
remain true, and never divorce. So how do they measure that? Obviously
they will know if they fail. But in order to succeed, must it be because
they have died? An alcoholic will say, that “I will not have another
drink”. That’s a poor choice, for that very same reason. Chances are, that
person will have difficulty with success in this goal. A better goal would
be that “I will not have a drink today”. This goal has been made with the
understanding that the same goal will be made again the next day, and the
day after that. When its met, there is the positive satisfaction that
results, that propels us forward, It builds self esteem, gives strength
and helps improve the quality of life just a little bit. This goal has
been made knowing that success with that goal will lead to other successes
of personal and professional level. This goal is now important for many
reasons, all of which gives us strength at the times when we may need it
most.
This is the sole reason that bikes have cyclometers. Millions of bikers
buy them. They place these various styles of cyclometers on their bike,
giving them a huge amount of measurable feedback that in turn can be used
to relate to their goals. Why else is there a need to attach
such equipment to the bike. Listen to bikers talk. They will exclaim, that
they hit 45 mph on the downhill, that they finished a 100 mile ride, or
that they averaged 16 mph over a certain time frame. Those are all
personal goals. They may are may not lead to other positive results, but
they can still have the positive effect to the individual.
What they can do is document efforts given, progress made or milestones
achieved, which for many riders mean a lot more in their overall lives
than the simple number attributed to that goal. The fuzzy thing about
goals is that even measurable goals with finite landmarks can still mean
vastly different things to different people. That alcoholic that has now
gone an entire week without a drink will look back upon it with an immense
sense of pride. Yet another individual can look at that and be truly
baffled as to why living 7 days without a drink should even be worthy of a
second thought. The understanding of those efforts, their importance or
the meaning of that accomplishment can be absorbed from opposite
viewpoints, such that the effort is simply not understood.
It is of lesser importance that others understand the measured progress of
your own goal. It can be nice, or even helpful if someone does, but goals
made on the pretense of someone else’s standards of measurement are not
always self fulfilling. I have since undertaken several week long bike
trips with Cycle Oregon. I have drawn those routes on one state map,
showing the paths taken for each ride. Some of the trips have been a
“loop” ride, meaning you start and end at the same spot, just taking one
out and back circle.
One of the
trips taken started in a small city near the southern border, and went
north to the northern border. Looking at the map and explaining the routes
it is easy to come to the decision that the border to border route was the
longest and most difficult trip. A person will see a starting point and
gauge how far distant is the ending point, and having their own personal
understanding of that distance will decide this. That is their only way to
personalize this effort and boil it down to a meaning that makes sense to
them. When looking at the loop routes, which were more difficult and in
fact longer, it isn’t possible for them to put them in perspective since
the start and end are the same place. You haven’t really gone anywhere
have you? You just went out and came back, without really traveling
from one spot to another, so maybe its just difficult to apply a purpose
to such an effort. A bike ride is never taken without some sort of goal.
The number of possible goals are immense. The goal may be to get to the
store, or to get some exercise, or to enjoy a sunny spring day, clear your
head, or to undertake some stage of physical training. It really doesn’t
matter. What is important is that the goal is achievable, since once you
ride to a certain spot, you are often forced to ride back, And that the
goad is in some way measurable so that progress or achievement can be
realized. That can explain a lot as to why a bike does, or does not have
that odometer.
Relating To Non Riders ~
"When driving a car, remember that you own a bicycle." – Joe
Kurmaskie
It can be hard to explain, or to convince someone who just doesn’t get it.
We are constantly meeting people with whom we can find something on which
to relate, but when the topic of biking is analyzed, its met with blank
stares, incomprehension, of self rationalizations. This person with whom
you are connecting, can have many similar interests as you, but just
cannot understand your motivation. Perhaps it is hard to understand
anyone’s motivation, if it doesn’t match yours. Even if that person wants
to, if they cant embrace it as their own, they likely just cant get it. If
they cant embrace it, and learn to take it on themselves, then the
obstacles come out which help give us the reasons we need to shield us
from that which we cannot accept. This applies to any belief or interest.
In biking it appears when you try to convince someone to get out and
ride. Oh, there’s the reasons why they cant. I don’t have a good
bike. I’m not in shape. I don’t have the time. The reasons are endless.
But are they really reasons or are they excuses. In most cases are we not
part of a democratic society that allows us the freedom to do those things
that we want? I think it is quite possible to find a flaw in most
reasons provided, which then turns those reasons why they cant, into
excuses that says they aren’t willing. Of course being not willing is a
freedom of choice that cant be ignored, but I’m saying that it must be
recognized as an excuse, not a reason. This is the same for all sorts of
decisions, whether it is exercise in general, changing of habits, the
myriad of possible actions within a relationship with others or with God.
I have tried to persuade people in to trying to understand, and or taking
on that commitment necessary to join. But its such a difficult thing to
do, perhaps impossible. Just as you cant convince another to love you, or
convince a friend to change their habits, it is something that they must
do themselves. Maybe the point here is that it is helpful to
dig down to through the words to listen and understand what people are
really saying, or at least trying to say. Then learning how to interact
within that level of commitment and not concern yourself with change,
rather with successful interaction at the present level.
Interactions with automobile drivers are of course the most frequent and
most dangerous. Obviously they are physically dangerous, But the constant,
impersonal, fleeting relationships encountered with traffic of also very
important. It is those many brief meetings that forms opinions that can
have lasting effects on peoples values, outlook and respect. The
impersonal nature of the car/bike relationship prevents any sort of
understanding of who we are, and just what is our motivation. Drivers are
therefore left with formulating their own opinions of what and who that
biker is, drawing from past experiences and biases. In fact, lets be
blunt, our society has done this for hundreds of years, to all people,
Without that knowledge there can be no respect, courtesy or understanding,
and we are therefore left with a build up of contempt, abuse and
misunderstanding. I know that this has had an effect on me. Over the last
several years, as I have biked more and more, I have obviously
developed a greater understanding of, and empathy for that poor solitary
biker out on the road. When I come upon them in my car, my instinct tells
me to slow, pass with caution, concede the right of way, or consider their
welfare in any way I can. My children notice this and chide me for my
newfound ways. I’m ok with that because, I get it. This is similar to the
treatment that one may provide to their lover. To go out of your way,
because you understand, you care, are able to embrace that person or
action with in your heart.
Two Riders As One ~
There is a great deal of difference in technique between riding amongst
other riders, or even riding along with another, , and riding as one with
another. It is easy to glide along as one in a crowd, move along
with similar intent as the others in some lemming like fashion. Since
biking can be individualistic in nature, one can easily mingle and be one
with the group, but retain all senses of ones own self. You can even ride
along with another rider, matching, mimicking and responding to the others
tendencies, yet still not adapt any of the others persona that is needed
if you are to ride much of the route as one. Tandem riders have that
physical attachment, much like marriage, that keeps them bonded in some
fashion. This attachment is one method that helps them adopt a similar
thought process. A successful tandem team will think alike, help each
other, learn each others idiosynchrocies, and habits. That can be thought
of as a requirement. The effort required for that tandem marriage is so
obviously an equally shared exertion. One rider cannot do all of the work
all of the time. Without such sharing of efforts and accompanying
results, the team cannot perform, and that tandem team will falter. But
what about single riders? Can they not perform just as successfully as a
team without that physical attachment. I believe that they can, but it
takes a merging of the thought process that is unlike that experienced
during casual rides amongst other riders. For two riders to enter in to
that state of one-ness, it takes effort, luck, determination, and a great
deal of mental awareness. Initially it takes the recognition of and the
acknowledgement and acceptance of those similarities and
dissimilarities to be successful. It isn’t crucial that the two riders are
similar in all ways, but it is important that they understand in what ways
they are similar and in which ways they are not. In that way, they can
play to the strengths, and make up for, or avoid, each others
weaknesses.
Dissimilarities
are always and issue when trying to match up to individuals. When one
rider is motivated by an aggressive approach derived from a type A persona
for example, that is going to clash with another’s laid back style, whose
intentions are to simply take in the sights and sounds , motivated by a
more carefree style. Once this framework is established, it must be
polished, refined and tuned. That is accomplished with effort on both
parts. One must home in on the tendencies, emotions, attitudes and
reactions of the other rider. To begin with , there should be a continual,
open dialogue of communication. Both rider must be able to freely express
their wants and needs. If one rider wants to slow down, speed up, turn
this way or that, they need to communicate that to the other rider. Now,
after a time, that other rider may be able to sense those things, but they
cannot be left to unspoken signs. The importance here is that for
both the riders to ride well with each other, they must be able to help
each other as well. That means that one rider may pull the lead for a
time, then be spelled by that other rider, as they begin to tire. If
during that time, the rider that is following is getting worn out, and
doesn’t make the partner aware, then the aren’t going to be able to
muster the energy needed to supply that help when they are needed, and
what they have done is failed them both. Ion the other hand, if one rider
is having to constantly verbalize their needs, then the other isn’t being
successful at recognizing those needs and adjusting for them. At that
point consideration should be made as to whether that other rider, has the
ability to, or the desire to, make that adjustment, then they must both
react accordingly. Trust must be built between them and should be a near
complete basis of trust. That means that the lead rider must do the things
that will inspire that trust of the other rider. When in the lead the
rider must be able to show responsibility, good and quick judgements, and
make safe decisions. That rider should do what they can to warn the other
rider of approaching dangers, that may be unseen by the trailing rider.
For, at that time, it is the job of the trailing rider, to have that faith
to follow where they are led. To take the path and keep the speed of the
rider that is taking them along. It 9s at that point that there ability to
see impending dangers may be somewhat weakened and they are left
vulnerable to unseen dangers. It cannot be a blind faith however. If that
rider allows themselves to follow blindly along, without making a
conscious effort think for themselves and keep up some sort of shield of
productivity for themselves, they are in danger of injury.
A rider is
ultimately responsible for themselves, at all times. Even if they decide
to put their faith in another, it is that decision that they are
responsible for, and it is that decision that will lead to the results
received. The results from this effort given to finely tune their
togetherness are extremely gratifying. It can be a great feeling to ride
with another, knowing exactly what they want and how they feel. Knowing in
advance what it is that they are going to do. Understanding and
communicating intentions by the flick of a finger, a nod of
the head, or simple eye contact. As you develop a wider base of
communication, the rewards of the ride become much more gratifying. Then
you can begin to feel what the other rider feels, and you can feed off
each other. At times a riders pace will be much quicker than their usual
pace. Perhaps do to a higher energy level, excitement, or other
motivations. That motivation should be picked up, shared and built
upon by that other rider, Perhaps that rider is slowed for a time by
moods, feelings, emotions, and that is a crucial time for that other
rider to recognize that change. That other rider will adjust as well, and
perhaps even learn something from the experience that will make them both
better. Given that the riders are individuals, then their fatigue level
will most likely be different. Perhaps most of the time it may be similar,
but there is going to be times when they are quite different, and both
rider must be aware of that and act accordingly. If one rider is becoming
fatigues for what ever reason, they can have a tendency to make poor
judgements that will affect them both. Or perhaps act carelessly, or react
to the other riders actions in a way that can be surprising and damaging
to them both. Unexpected reactions, will have a negative effect on the
relationship as well. The intensity and context of that reaction can go a
long way in determining just how severe or long lasting that damage
happens to be.
As any ride
progresses, the rider is making mental notes of all the actions and
reactions, then determining how to process, and react to them. Reactions
noted as a result of fatigue must not be ignored as they can become signs
of danger. The danger signs are common in all riders and should be
expected, as well as accepted, it is just that they should not be ignored.
The experience of oneness with another rider may come at any time, it may
be as short as one ride, or last over many longer ones. There is no doubt
that it is a fulfilling experience to achieve, and an experience that
should provide memories as well as lessons for you both. It is an
opportunity that we all should work to achieve, and that we all should
recognize as an opportunity that does take work to maintain. With the
work, comes the rewards.
Notes and Concepts under consideration
Keep on Pedaling
-Or you fill fall over
-you cant finish
-no one else will pedal for you
-Exepct on tandems, which is good if couple works together, or willing
to trade
=left with few other choices
=mental toughness is a must here
All the right gear
Flash vs. substance
The Long and Winding Road
More than any other emotion, melancholy is incompatible with
bicycling. – James E. Starrs “The Noiseless Tenor”
Dreams and future plans
Downside of aches and pains
Get a bicycle. You will not regret it, if you live – Mark Twain
Relating to the serious ones
As a time consuming passion
Ride lots. – Eddy Merckx
A Canadian Tour
Whoever invented the bicycle deserves the thanks of humanity.
-Lord Charles Beresford