Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.ticwanos
06-04-07, 12:12 PM
I had a triple whammy this month that has had me feeling ancient. First, our baby graduated from college in Boston, our oldest son and his wife (outside Seattle) presented us with our first grandchild and while traveling from Dallas to Boston to Seattle and back I contracted pneumonia for the first time in my life. I take the graduation and grandson with great spirits, both are obviously in a Milestone category that celebrate life, but the pneumonia really wasted me and had me assessing my mortality (see the other thread regards youth and aging). I am cleared to go back to work tomorrow so I thought I was ready to get in a good ride and clear the lungs out. I have a 15 mile circuit with a good mix of hills and flats and traffic light mandated stops that starts at my front door, so off I went. I took it easy and made it back in 68 minutes. Depending on which bike I'm riding (I'm into vintage steel so most people think my fleet is on the heavy side) and what the wind conditions are, I usually do it in 55 or 60 minutes so I don't think I lost too many steps. It was definitely a bummer getting the pneumonia, but I wonder what shape I would be in had I not been riding regularly before contracting it. I was distressed to discover that eating healthily with vigorous regular exercise does not bullet proof you from ill health, but I do think it helps with recovery. It was great to be riding again.