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05-24-09, 06:35 PM
Just like the title states-and I loved it.
At the age of 36, and several failed attempts, I am truly in love with cycling once again! growing up and through my college years I LIVED on my bike-it was my transportation, preferred method of exercise, class commuter, grocery getter, and anything else you could do on a bike. I raced BMX as a youth, and then in my high school years purchased a Cannondale CFM 800 and put several thousand miles on that riding, racing, and going on RAGBRAI every year. College brought on the purchase of a mountain bike for urban assault night rides and campus trips to class-my heart was more broken when it was stolen outside of one of the buildings than it was when I broke up with my first girlfriend!
Graduation brought on the start of two businesses and the eventual take over of the family business, as well as family and all of the trimmings that go with that. Cycling never left my thoughts completely, but it took a definite back seat to the rest of my hectic life. As the years turned into a decade, and my weight ballooned from a svelt 180 to an all time high of 330, I said 'enough is enough'. I headed down to the local Cannondale dealer and dropped a huge chunk of money on a fully decked out Cannondale Super Six One. This was fall of last year, and I took it out for ONE ride. ONE. I had figured that by spending that amount of money I would ride it or die trying as to not waste the funds that I had liberated on the bike. No amount of adjustment or saddle change did anything to make the bike more appealing.
Fast forward to two weeks ago. Over the course of the last two years I have lost my father, grandfather, and currently my grandmother is in the hospital teetering on the brink after having a massive stroke. I am walking into the hospital contemplating all that life has thrown at me and how I NEEDED to get back in shape so that I could be around to see my kids grow up. I had already lost 30+ pounds over the last six months just by giving up caffine and fast food cold turkey, but I needed something more. As I was walking into the hospital to visit my grandmother I noticed a guy locking up a Moots Rigor Mootis on the bike rack. I threw out a "nice bike" comment as I passed and the guy just off the cuff started up a conversation about it. It turns out that he is a vascular surgeon at the hospital and started riding two years ago to drop from his previous 380lbs down to his current 260. Being about the same size as me he asked me if I would like to try it out and I took it for a spin around the block. I was instantly in love and after a few phone call found a Moots of my own. I rode it around the house and on a few outings with the kids over the last week, but today was the first day that I was able to break free and ride by myself.
I spun through 19 miles like it was nothing, the whole time a HUGE smile on my face! people on the trail must have thought I had taken a hard one to the head because I had to look goofy. I didn't realize how out of shape I was until I coasted back up to the truck to load up and come home and I could barely stand! My arms and legs are still weak, but what a feeling! I cannot wait to get up and go again tomorrow, and I am so thankful for the kindness of that surgeon and him taking the extra time to let me try his bike out. I am fully aware that the equipment does not make the rider, but when everything feels right and is dialed in, there is no better way to spend a Sunday afternoon by yourself! I will be selling off all of my other bikes and getting a Vamoots to compliment my Mooto X 29er Rigor, and will enjoy the fleet for a long time to come.
Sorry for the ramblings, especially from a newbie, but I am planning on being here for a long time!
At the age of 36, and several failed attempts, I am truly in love with cycling once again! growing up and through my college years I LIVED on my bike-it was my transportation, preferred method of exercise, class commuter, grocery getter, and anything else you could do on a bike. I raced BMX as a youth, and then in my high school years purchased a Cannondale CFM 800 and put several thousand miles on that riding, racing, and going on RAGBRAI every year. College brought on the purchase of a mountain bike for urban assault night rides and campus trips to class-my heart was more broken when it was stolen outside of one of the buildings than it was when I broke up with my first girlfriend!
Graduation brought on the start of two businesses and the eventual take over of the family business, as well as family and all of the trimmings that go with that. Cycling never left my thoughts completely, but it took a definite back seat to the rest of my hectic life. As the years turned into a decade, and my weight ballooned from a svelt 180 to an all time high of 330, I said 'enough is enough'. I headed down to the local Cannondale dealer and dropped a huge chunk of money on a fully decked out Cannondale Super Six One. This was fall of last year, and I took it out for ONE ride. ONE. I had figured that by spending that amount of money I would ride it or die trying as to not waste the funds that I had liberated on the bike. No amount of adjustment or saddle change did anything to make the bike more appealing.
Fast forward to two weeks ago. Over the course of the last two years I have lost my father, grandfather, and currently my grandmother is in the hospital teetering on the brink after having a massive stroke. I am walking into the hospital contemplating all that life has thrown at me and how I NEEDED to get back in shape so that I could be around to see my kids grow up. I had already lost 30+ pounds over the last six months just by giving up caffine and fast food cold turkey, but I needed something more. As I was walking into the hospital to visit my grandmother I noticed a guy locking up a Moots Rigor Mootis on the bike rack. I threw out a "nice bike" comment as I passed and the guy just off the cuff started up a conversation about it. It turns out that he is a vascular surgeon at the hospital and started riding two years ago to drop from his previous 380lbs down to his current 260. Being about the same size as me he asked me if I would like to try it out and I took it for a spin around the block. I was instantly in love and after a few phone call found a Moots of my own. I rode it around the house and on a few outings with the kids over the last week, but today was the first day that I was able to break free and ride by myself.
I spun through 19 miles like it was nothing, the whole time a HUGE smile on my face! people on the trail must have thought I had taken a hard one to the head because I had to look goofy. I didn't realize how out of shape I was until I coasted back up to the truck to load up and come home and I could barely stand! My arms and legs are still weak, but what a feeling! I cannot wait to get up and go again tomorrow, and I am so thankful for the kindness of that surgeon and him taking the extra time to let me try his bike out. I am fully aware that the equipment does not make the rider, but when everything feels right and is dialed in, there is no better way to spend a Sunday afternoon by yourself! I will be selling off all of my other bikes and getting a Vamoots to compliment my Mooto X 29er Rigor, and will enjoy the fleet for a long time to come.
Sorry for the ramblings, especially from a newbie, but I am planning on being here for a long time!