Several times during this morning’s bike ride, I asked myself this question: “Is this the type of cycling that I wish to do?”
Maybe it was the stiff wind coming from the southeast, perhaps it was the fact that our five-person pace line remained fragmented from the very start to the end, possibly I’m just not that good of a cyclists to stay up with the other cyclists, or maybe, just maybe, I’m darn tired of rushing from point “A” to point “B” most of my adult life. I’m thinking it’s the latter. Correction, I know it’s the latter.
Take this morning for example. A couple of times during our 33-mile bike ride, both when we were riding with the wind and against the wind, I wanted to stop for a moment to take pictures of the beautiful lakes, the countryside, the grazing cattle, even a variety of horses of all colors and sizes. Had I done so, catching up with the already-fragmented pace line would have been impossible – hence – no pictures.
Not counting our halfway break at the coffee shoppe, only once did I have a chance to sip liquid (Welches Grape Juice was my choice of juice this morning) from my bike’s water bottle, and that single time was at a stop light. That, in my opinion, is insane. Continuously hydrating in South Florida is absolutely necessary for optimal health and conditioning.
Listen, I’m not a complainer. I respect everyone’s agendas, be it the sport of cycling or in the arena of life itself. I don’t for one moment suggest that my way is the best way. I’m just saying that I’m sick and tired of rushing through life and hastening my bide rides. I spent thirty-five years working for a company where I was faced with almost impossible deadlines every single day of my employment. That was 35 years of merciless deadlines. Screw that!
Living under time restraints simply isn’t my cup of tea. And it also wasn’t my cup of tea when I was working, but we all know that work puts food on the table and pays the mortgage - therefore you do what you have to do.
Now retired, I have choices in life. From here on out, I’ll begin taking extra advantage of those choices – in life and during cycling.
I’m not only going to smell those roses, I’m going to take pictures of them.
No comments:
Post a Comment