Unlike many of you (above) I didn't have any thoughts like that when I was young. I just rode my bike . . . didn't get thoughtful enough about the experience to recognize the combination.

When I was a bit older (18), got my first "real" road bike (Peugeot PX-10) and started training with a local racing club I was loving it (hence the joy part) until I started really suffering on a long climb one day. When I made the mistake of expressing this to a nearby rider, his response was, "Good for you, now you're getting it. Suffering is what makes this real!"

So that was the work part. Over the years I have learned to suffer with a better attitude!

Rick / OCRR