Love these threads. Over two years now, no drinking. The benefits are difficult to understand unless you have made the conscious decision to abstain, not just quit for a while. After half my life drinking, it took over six months to get it all out of my system and fully realize how much better riding was. Not preaching, just imparting my experience.

EDIT: Reading past page one and as I guessed, threads like this always turn into finger-pointing, judgement-filled affairs where pot is almost always introduced for no relevant reason. *sigh*

I feel your pain, Machka. You are not self-righteous, that is a projection from those who think they are being judged by your abstinence. Over the internet and across oceans, to boot.