Dudelsack 

I recently started a thread entitled the 42 - lessons in pointless suffering. This thread was to capture the angst generated by purely recreational riders as they suffer to achieve meaningless non competitive goals, or, as the French say, become conquistadors of the useless.

Much to my shock and dismay, many of the early responses may be translated into this: so what's the point of pointless suffering?

The only polite response I could think of to this ironically pointless question is what Robert Pirsig calls a mu response: the only proper answer is to unask the question.

42 derives it's significance in that time and again it has been shown to be the answer to the meaning of life, the universe, and pretty much everything.

As I ponder this, asking what the point of the 42 might justifiably be given a mu answer, but as 42 clearly invokes something mathematical, perhaps a better response to what the point of our pointless suffering is should involve a mathematical manipulation.

I figured it out.

Some people wondered what the square root of -1 is. There is no real number, so someone just made one up: the imaginary number. If you take 1i and square it, you get -1 (of course). 1i is an imaginary number.

What's weird is that esoteric mathematical constructs developed by this sort of numerical tomfoolery found instant relevance with features of quantum mechanics. I'm over my head with the numbers, you'll have to look up how it all works by yourself.

So, 42 represents on this forum pointless suffering by amateur recreational cyclists.

Thus 42i is the answer to the point of pointless suffering.

I'm writing this stuff because I am getting ready to suffer pointlessly by riding my big Century tomorrow, and I'm skeered. My only possible explanation is 42i.

Are you training for an event way over your head, one where all the saner voices are telling you're doomed and you don't argue with them because you figure it's true? Then join the 42, and if anyone asks you why, the answer is 42i.

I hit the road between 7:30 and 8:00 tomorrow. Send any spare good karma my way' won't you.

NOS88

Duddlesack, perhaps thou should loosen thy helmet staps just a wee bit.

Good luck with your ride. You'll be fine.

Floyd

Agreed...with the wavelengths of the spectrum lined up in the obtus order by the bi-lateral angle of the third degree, there should be no problem (conceivably) to achieve the outlaying goal... go 4 it.

woodcraft

#5- What was the question?

MinnMan

There are some on this subforum who understand pointless suffering on a bike. I'm all for it. Pushing myself to the limits of my ability is one of the joys of my life. Those who don't understand this must have a different way of pursuing their bliss - bully for them.

[For geeks only: Imaginary numbers were developed chiefly in the mid-16th century, and were soon found to be useful for a number of rather concrete and prosaic problems, including those in trigonometry (and therefore for practical problems in engineering, construction, etc.). In the 19th century imaginary numbers found probably their most famous applications in understanding electrical circuits and electromagnetism. By the time quantum mechanics came along in the early 20th century, imaginary numbers had been around for about 350 years. One of the most humbling areas of history is the history of mathematics. An astonishing portion of the math that most any 21st century working scientist or engineer needs to know was developed more than 200 years ago, and most university students today will never study math past what was known in the 17th century. Think of it - every junior high school student knows a little chemistry and biology and earth science that was discovered in the 20th century, but in math....]

Dudelsack 

Like I said, I'm way over my head with numbers and such. I eked through freshman calculus and never looked back.

Why the universe is so that abstractions pondered by 16th century dead white males work so well with the advanced applications described above is left for another day.

As far as the tightness of the helmet straps goes, my trip to this venue was about three hours, then you sit around a motel. You have to think about SOMETHING.

Dang, everyone in this place looks buff.

Anyway, time to get a move on. Wish me luck.

Ursa Minor

Good Luck Dudelsack! I'll be thinking of you wishing you luck.

Charlie

Wanderer

ouch!

BluesDawg

If you are suffering on the bike, you are doing it wrong. Ride and smile.

Have a great century ride.

climberguy

Have fun, in a 42i sort of way. Be safe. We'll expect a full report.

JanMM

Are you having fun yet?

OldsCOOL

Wut?

macjager

there is a point to pointless suffering...but I forgot what it is...

North Coast Joe

I gotta' read how THIS comes out!

Performance anxiety is a b*tch. I hate when non-competitive situations turn stressful. Happens to me all the time. Fair well, Author of Note!

George

Good luck on the ride. I know my post is a little late, but how did you do.

Wildwood 

Not sure of any of the points on this thread.

But good luck on the ride finishing.

Dudelsack 

Possunt quia posse videntur.

I thought a lot about the English translation of this quote today. As noble as it sounds, it doesn't apply to me because as late as mile 90 the outcome of this sordid affair was in doubt.

This is a brief recap:

Started on time but really wanted to start 1/2 hour early. Turns out I hit all the time requirements, but just barely towards the end.

Up to mile 50, I went very slow, and I think that helped a lot.

From 50 tp 75 I felt pretty well, actually. It will be interesting to look at the intervals when I get the chance to upload to Strava tomorrow.

From 75 to 86, I hated life, the universe, and pretty much everything.

At the SAG at 86 I considered bagging it as I was really shot. I didn't because everyone I know is aware I was trying for a century today. I know as a fact that operators of the SAG didn't think I would make it.

From 86 to about 90 I was suspicious that 42 was a gag, I questioned reality and pondered that pointless points are pointless at best. Twice I saw sticks on the road and thought they were snakes. In my defense, there were a lot of snakes that had wandered on the road and had been run over, so my confusion wasn't a total hallucination.

Weirdly, by 90 I accepted the fact that I was going to do the century, relaxed, and muddled on the rest of the way without incident.

I think the Redbud Ride is very well organized. Here is the start yesterday:



It was a picture perfect cycling day until the wind picked up in the afternoon:



The real reason I was so slow is that I was fraternizing with the staff:



Don't ask me why they were all dressed in their jammys.

We were in the middle of the God-forsaken wilderness. The only reason I'd consider the century next year is because the scenery was even nicer than the 70 I did last year.



This was the last SAG. The irony of the sponsorship was not lost upon the participants:



When I got back to the motel my face was covered by a thick white layer of dried sweat. Frightening, really. As much as I miss my family, it would not have been wise to drive back to Louisville tonight.

I trained for this using the TCTP, with the majority of the time spent in my basement on my trainer. That's cool.

This year my longest ride was um 35 miles. That's stupid, but I got away with it, which makes it epic.

This is my second century, done at the tender age of 61. Overall I'm pleased, but right now the only parts of my body that don't hurt are the parts that went numb.

I think ink that's about it.

miss kenton

Congratulations! Well done, Sir. Your description of >75 miles was great and and is, because I can imagine similar thoughts, the reason I have yet to venture past that mile post. Good photos, too. Thanks for sharing.

Ursa Minor

Congratulations dudelsack! Im inspired to try to do a century myself.

Charlie

Dan Burkhart 

Congratulations, and thanks for a great ride report. I so enjoy reading reports I could relate to, rather than those that go on to describe the last quarter of the second century as a "bit" of a challenge.

MinnMan

Woohoo! Good for you!

(sorry for geeking out on you earlier)

qcpmsame 

Glad you made your century goal, Dudel. After all of your preparation and angst this outcome should mean quite a bit to you. well done sir, well done.

Bill

NOS88

One for each 10 miles. I was going to give you one per mile, but there's a ten image limit per post.

JanMM

Atta boy!

Floyd

+1 on the atta-boys...glad the numbers were there to spur you on to ?victory? ...yes, you did...and can brag about it