jppe

At least for a few weeks. We completed the Time Trial series that I lead for the year so I now have the events out of the way but still have some yearend work including disbursement of funds to charities, mailing out awards, etc.

I've been so bummed over the results of my last hilly century I've simply lost a lot of the motivation. I rode one time for 25 miles the last couple weeks. However I did do an organized ride Sunday that was supposed be around 70 miles but turned out to be about 80 miles with 5000 ft of climbing-and still averaged around 19 mph so maybe I needed a break??? I had planned to just take it easy but after about 8-9 miles I found myself pulling the lead group of 10-12 (there were about 1300 riders and we had eased off in front). The HR was out the roof but it felt pretty good riding again.

I have quickly started to put on my winter coat so I felt the hills that much more. It's amazing how quickly you can add a little weight when you're not being disciplined about the intake and not doing anything to burn calories. But chocolate has never tasted better.

But, it's not totally a depressing deal. I picked back up my other lifetime hobby-golf-as I have numerous tournaments in late September through mid November. I've played the least amount of golf this year up until this September as ever-but ridden the bike more.

This week we played in the Senior Pro-Am at the Ensure Classic (catchy sponsor??) in Hickory, NC. I was fortunate to be paired with Tom Kite who won the US Open in 1992. We had a great day and my picture wound up in the local paper with Kite.

Kite said he liked my swing and the only suggestion he made was for my hands to be a little lower at address. After the round Kite was getting ready to practive on the range and I asked him if he'd take a second to show me what he meant. What I expected to take about 2-3 minutes turned into a really, really long lesson. Kite and his caddie spent what seemed like an hour with me---even taking pictures of me hitting balls (his range balls he was going to use) to show me what I was doing. At one point he was even down on the ground placing balls in front of me to hit. Later that night at a restaurant I had folks coming up wanting to know if I was the guy Kite was helping on the range. Pretty neat he would spend that much time with someone like me.

In another tournament earlier in the week I won a ton of stuff-golf bag, balls, golf clubs, shirts, free round of golf at a premiere club plus the Grand Prize of 4 days in the Bahamas-all expenses paid.

Heck, I might just not ever get back on the bike again..........

Hermes

I was an avid golfer prior to moving to the bay area and starting up my cycling. Pro golfers are great and many like Kite spend a lot of time with their fans and love to teach. They always make complicated stuff seam really easy. The bike seems so simple compared to the golf swing but having spent this last year with my new cycling coach, it is a lot more complicated than meets the eye to execute, stay healthy and produce results when the pressure is on.

I am getting ready for Track Worlds in Portugal at the end of the month so I am motivated to the max. I will be at the track tomorrow behind the motor working on spin, power and speed.

lhbernhardt

Last Friday I was out on a 30-foot sailboat with my boss and the rest of the team, about six of us on the boat. I had mentioned that I used to race dinghies and catboats when I was young and a student at the College of Alameda. We sailed at Lake Merritt in Oakland, CA, a large lake in the middle of the city famous for the Hell's Angels, Black Panthers, Roller Derby, and Gertrude Stein. They always told us that because there was so much wind shadow and unpredictable winds, if you could sail in Lake Merritt, you could sail anywhere. So I got to take the helm and point the boat into the wind while the boss ran up the mainsail and jib. I was surprised how responsive the boat was.



Now I'm tempted to buy a sailboat and live on it. The cabin of a 30-footer is big enough to store my bike!

Luis

big john

jppe, I think it's great that you have another passion/hobby to go to when the bike gets a little old. Tom Kite sounds like a great guy for spending time with you like that.
I'm sure you'll get back on the bike after a break.
Whatever you do, keep posting here to let us know.

BluesDawg

Sounds like you are ready for a little break from the routine. Hopefully a bit of time off will rekindle the flames and you'll be back, more passionate than ever. I hope so. I enjoy reading about your cycling exploits. Golfing, not so much.

ahsposo 

Stay in touch. Keep some air in the tires.

vtc12ip

In the early eighties, the airline I worked for did charters for the PGA Tour. I seem to remember we had about forty people in the back, along with the gear (lots of it). We arrived at the destination and everybody got off and left myself and the other pilot to offload the gear. Tom Kite was the only person who came back out and helped. A true gentlemen.

badger1

Well, someone has to say it ... might as well be me:
'Golf is the new cycling'! Had to happen, and sooner rather than later.

bradtx

jppe, Most of my friends have other interests besides cycling, as I do and will compleatly abandon one interest for another, then return. I tend to mix my interests together, FWIW.

Hermes, Best of luck to you. Pics, TV coverage or at least a report on the event please.

Brad

bradtx

"'Golf is the new cycling'! Had to happen, and sooner rather than later." --badger1

And then again, maybe not.

qmsdc15

Isn't golf for old people?

Daspydyr 

I love both sports and share a similar disappointment about an upcoming century and not being in better shape. The bottom line is that I am in better condition and the stronger legs have improved my golf game. So its all good, I will never be 35 again, I love life and have enough health to ride and golf.

My big win this year in golf is a bottle of Glen Livet and Dinner at PF Changs. I'll trace you both for the Bahamas.

bjjoondo 

Humm, isn't "GOLF", a great way to ruin a good walk?? LOL, whatever you choose to do, have FUN, the bicycle will paciently wait your return!

t4mv

jppe, might I suggest you try CX when you come back to cycling? Just to mix things up a bit.

rideorglide

Multi sports don't have to be mutually exclusive to still be fun. I keep 4-5 bikes going, and with a family of 4, that means 6 bikes to maintain, as they all ride, though not necessarily all at the same time. Trying to get the wife and kids into golf too. I must be crazy.


Golf
Road biking
Surfing
Mountainbiking
Windsurfing

https://theoutsideinsideout.blogspot.com/

Hah, come to think about it I even practiced the sand wedge at the beach after the last windsurfing session. Good sand there, although a little finer than the sandtraps in the public courses round here :-0.

Sometimes it requires a lot of gear shifting in and out of the van, when things don't fit, the pedals scratch the boards etc., and tons of maintenance, but it's worth it. (Golf clubs are thankfully low maintenance.)

Once thought I would just windsurf exclusively — it's an extremely powerful wind addiction, but found that other sports could co-exist with it.

Hope to welcome you to the multi-fun club!

Right now, I'm recovering from some golf-related injuries (overuse and overswinging) so glad I can still ride a road bike!!!

Doug64

Cycling, cycle touring, telemark skiing, backpacking, ski patrol, canoeing, and working full time-- At 67 that's enough!

PS, I sold my sailboat because we didn't have time to use it like it was meant to be used.