Moving On

The original purpose behind The Fourteen Percent Ride has long since been fulfilled. So, I've decided that Mighty Proud will be the last posting. It just seems right.

But, don't worry. Or maybe you should. In any event, I plan to continue. I'll keep riding. And writing. Click here to come along in my new blog ~ The Long White Line. <-- check it out!

Thanks

As I've ridden for the last two years, I've picked up on the fact that Shirley, my darling wife, has been more worried about my safety than impressed with my "accomplishments." How do I know this? Well, when I'd come back and tell her, for example, that I'd hit 53.6 mph going down FO, she'd reply, "I don't want to hear it." Being the sensitive sort I figured out, after many such comments, that just maybe we were not on the same page here. But last week, she told me that she would "greatly reduce her focus on the 'fear for my safety' issue." We talked about the tour, looked at some maps, researched nutrition suggestions on the internet, and so on, just enjoying the idea of the ride. How nice is that? Thank you, Shirley!

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Moments

In the comic strip Frazz, we meet a janitor at an elementary school who is, among other things, a philosopher and bike rider. Of course, all cyclists are philosophers; they have to be to rationalize such irrational activities as wearing clothes that would keep you out of many reputable business establishments and using a very efficient mode of transportation for exercise, expending much energy over a period of many hours moving around the countryside only to end up, in most cases, right back where you started.

Anyway, Frazz is giving counsel to one of the students who tells him as he looks at a book, "This Horace guy says possessions don't make you happy." Frazz answers, "I agree, possessions don't make me happy. Moments make me happy." The young lad looks at him and says, "But you possess a bicycle!" Frazz replies, "It's still the moment that makes me happy. The bicycle just helps me arrive there." The young boy points out, "You possess a $3,000 bicycle." To which Frazz answers, "I like to arrive at that moment very fast."

Sure, I ride for exercise. But mostly I ride for the moments. For the challenge of a hard climb and the thrill of a rapid descent. Admiring blue skies over the dark waters of the Mississippi River. Watching a turkey strutting across the road or a fox loping along beside you. Riding up and down the undulating land of the Amish country around Cashton where you encounter friendly people out and about in their black buggies. My $3,000 bike gets me to those moments efficiently. And fairly quickly, too, when I’m up to it!

A day off today.

Total ~ 1104.4 miles

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Riding fast keeps you from feeling Frazzled?

May 16, 2007 at 7:28 AM

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