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Originally Posted by pdlamb
(Post 21042668)
Ditto.
Nah, that's too advanced for me. :) A Zen Teacher saw five of his students return from the market, riding their bicycles. When they had dismounted, the teacher asked the students, “Why are you riding your bicycles?” The first student replied, “The bicycle is carrying this sack of potatoes. I am glad that I do not have to carry them on my back!” The teacher praised the student, saying, “You are a smart boy. When you grow old, you will not walk hunched over, as I do.” The second student replied, “I love to watch the trees and fields pass by as I roll down the path.” The teacher commended the student, “Your eyes are open and you see the world.” The third student replied, “When I ride my bicycle, I am content to chant, nam myoho renge kyo.” The teacher gave praise to the third student, “Your mind will roll with the ease of a newly trued wheel.” The fourth student answered, “Riding my bicycle, I live in harmony with all beings.” The teacher was pleased and said, “You are riding on the golden path of non-harming.” The fifth student replied, “I ride my bicycle to ride my bicycle.” The teacher went and sat at the feet of the fifth student, and said, “I am your disciple.” |
Originally Posted by Ray9
(Post 21042598)
I'm sick of going to the intensive care unit to visit friends.
We understand that. Most of us here on this bicycling forum have probably had experiences and emotions similar to yours. |
Originally Posted by Ray9
(Post 21042357)
... No one, rich or poor, has a right to poison themselves. They do however have a responsibility to pay their own way if they choose to use the poison.
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Why I Ride
I ride to exercise. I ride because at this moment in time I will not allow my cancer to stop me. I ride because I enjoy doing so at any given moment even though shortly after I might hate being out riding. I ride to accomplish a goal I put before me. I ride 100 miles this Friday in memory of my friend Pete --- ------ Peter M. Cornell | ghost bikes |
You sir are no libertarian. Way too judgmental!
But then again it is ironic that I am quite the libertarian except when judging you. Not giving a $hit is harder than it looks. |
Why I ride.
Originally Posted by Ray9
(Post 21041260)
…If I should meet my end on the highway don’t feel sorry for me because any sympathy I have for those who threw away their health by eating like pigs, smoking like chimneys and drinking like fish can be measured in microns.
Originally Posted by TimothyH
(Post 21041293)
…Any one of us could have get a disease or be disabled in a moment. Riding bicycles is no guarantee and the measure you give is the measure you will get
Originally Posted by Ray9
(Post 21041516)
Meh, it's the old "there but for the grace of God go I" If you break your leg dancing you still have to pay the fiddler's bill. I agree with your last paragraph; anything can happen at any time.
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
(Post 17841762)
”Ever contemplate your mortality on the road?”
Actually, in one of my most serious contemplations of mortality, the Road served as a relief:
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
(Post 17398049)
My magic moment when I realized what makes cycling fun (important) to me was at a lunch with two doctors about 20 years ago. We got to talking about the vicissitudes of life, like sudden death, or trivial symptoms as harbingers of a serious disease. We eventually came around to that old chestnut to live life to the fullest everyday.
As we were leaving, the surgeon, a marathon runner, said, “Well, any day with a run in it is a good day for me.” I was already an avid cyclist and cycle commuter, and that clicked with me, any day with a ride in it is a good day for me. |
Originally Posted by Ray9
(Post 21041260)
A lot of people wonder why I do something every day that would kill most people if they tried it once. Because I read the warnings on cigarette packages I abstained from the habit in 1976 when the price of the lung destroyers was 35 cents a pack. Observations of friends and relatives that abused alcohol convinced me to avoid the poison and seeing the damage done to those who smoked weed and progressed to the stronger stuff alerted me to the reality that I and I alone have responsibility for my personal health.
In 1972 when I watched Frank Shorter win the Olympic Marathon I started running to stay in shape when no one else I knew was doing it. I ran for many years until my joints and ligaments began to protest and because I had saved thousands from not buying tobacco weed, or alcohol, I had the resources to purchase an expensive racing bicycle in 1983. It was the best investment of my life as nearly all of the people who were putting powder up their noses at the time are either already dead or swallowing their faces in a nursing home today. As a libertarian I support the choices of all the corpses and institutionalized vegetables warehoused in beds across the nation enjoying the fruits of those choices. Every day at 72 I get on my bike and ride fifty miles, chasing the wind with clear lungs by choice. I know there is a risk due to traffic, driver inattention and impaired vehicle operation but it’s a risk worth taking just like the risk many others took when they voluntarily sabotaged their vital organs with chemicals. If I should meet my end on the highway don’t feel sorry for me because any sympathy I have for those who threw away their health by eating like pigs, smoking like chimneys and drinking like fish can be measured in microns. As a Baby boomer I got great deal. Jonas Salk and Alexander Fleming cleared the minefield of many diseases that took out depression-era citizens and my path was easier. I have a huge appreciation for those who worked so hard to make things better for me. That’s why I ride my bike; It’s good for my heart, my lungs and my mind. You do what you want; you’re free for now. See you on the road. |
It is amazing how the act of riding such a simple machine as a bike can become such a complicated issue.
I like [MENTION=3283]caloso[/MENTION]’s story, especially the ending: I ride my bike...to ride my bike. It is what it is. Or as they say in the TdF, c’est ce que c’est. :D |
I ride to get to work and back and don't think about other people's choices as long as they obey traffic laws and maintain situational awareness.
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I ride because at the time I throw my leg over the top tube, I feel like it.
I could list a host of "reasons", but it really just comes down to I feel like going riding. |
I am here for my wife because I hit the road every day and log miles on the safest roads I can find. Actually, based on your 'logic,' my Mom is a much better case for doing the opposite of what you do. She never exercised, and she's been obese for the 75 years I've known her, and probably longer. She's in her 102nd year and still going strong, making new friends, etc.. Also, you may ride for other reasons than the ones you have stated. In fact, I'm sure of it. |
I ride because
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Sanctimony is strong with this one.
https://jimharrisblog.files.wordpres...yoda.jpg?w=584 People cycle for different reasons and different combinations of reasons. I read somewhere that one of the benefits of cycling is that every minute you cycle adds a minute to your life expectancy. On that basis, someone who rides strictly for longevity and finds no joy in it would appear to be making a bad bargain. |
Get off your Lawn too?
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One of the reasons why I ride...
Father: massive stroke, age 80 Grandfather: massive heart attack, age 45 Great-Grandfather: massive stroke, age 55 Great-Great-Grandfather, collapsed on hunting trip, probable heart attack or stroke, age 55 Me: age 60, not dead yet, and trying to stay that way for a while longer. |
Originally Posted by Ray9
(Post 21042357)
I‘ve proposed this before but here it is again: Double the price of a six-pack of beer,
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Originally Posted by terrymorse
(Post 21045944)
One of the reasons why I ride...
Father: massive stroke, age 80 Grandfather: massive heart attack, age 45 Great-Grandfather: massive stroke, age 55 Great-Great-Grandfather, collapsed on hunting trip, probable heart attack or stroke, age 55 Me: age 60, not dead yet, and trying to stay that way for a while longer. |
Originally Posted by caloso
(Post 21046179)
I think we all understand that none of us is going to out-run our genes. But we're certainly not going to contribute to the risk with life-style choices.
That being said there is nothing more tedious than the smug sanctimonious humble brag inserted into a sermon on riding the bike as some sort of health panacea, sign of superior virtue, vitality and determined grit. Yawn..... -Bandera |
This thread reminded me that I need to pick up a pack of smokes after I leave work and ride to happy hour for a couple of Manhattans. My favorite bartender works tonight. She and I have know each other for more than 14 years.
OBTL |
Originally Posted by Bandera
(Post 21046228)
Agree. Those choices for many of us are not a sudden revelation or atonement for past missteps but part of a lifestyle that was out of the mainstream decades ago but with some beneficial consequences that are a by-product of cycling as a sport, along with the injuries that are also part of the deal.
That being said there is nothing more tedious than the smug sanctimonious humble brag inserted into a sermon on riding the bike as some sort of health panacea, sign of superior virtue, vitality and determined grit. Yawn..... -Bandera |
Originally Posted by indyfabz
(Post 21046293)
This thread reminded me that I need to pick up a pack of smokes after I leave work and ride to happy hour for a couple of Manhattans. My favorite bartender works tonight. She and I have know each other for more than 14 years.
OBTL There are many ways to actually enjoy life without making it into a dour struggle, a carefully prepared cocktail being one of them. -Bandera |
Originally Posted by Bandera
(Post 21046311)
Speaking of Manhattans I have recently improved to my taste on the classic recipe by substituting Knob Creek Rye whiskey for the Evan Williams Bottled in Bond Bourbon that I've used for cocktails and Dolan White Sweet Vermouth for the Martini & Rossi Red Vermouth and Orange peel for a Cherry. Ask your bartender, good choice to avoid "mixologists", to concoct one along those lines for you.
There are many ways to actually enjoy life without making it into a dour struggle, a carefully prepared cocktail being one of them. -Bandera Some time ago, after the Solvang DC, three of us went to the Hitching Post ... the bar/restaurant featured in the move "Sideways." We each ordered a manhattan, each with a different whiskey/rye, and tasted the result. I'm generally a JD fan (I'm actually a Tennessee squire), but we all agreed that the red top darling ... the Makers Mark ... made the best Manhattan. I read somewhere recently that despite all the health claims for red wine and the like, adding all the risks together, NO amount of alcohol in any form is safer than abstention. So what. :D |
Originally Posted by Ray9
(Post 21041260)
A lot of people wonder why I do something every day that would kill most people if they tried it once.................
For my friend who was a wall of a rider, my 101 miler, begun at 12:29AM during a frog choking thunderstorm on my 2002, $100.00, 7 speed Magna with front basket purchased at Target. |
Why I ride
Originally Posted by Ray9
(Post 21041260)
A lot of people wonder why I do something every day that would kill most people if they tried it once. Because I read the warnings on cigarette packages I abstained from the habit in 1976 when the price of the lung destroyers was 35 cents a pack.
Observations of friends and relatives that abused alcohol convinced me to avoid the poison and seeing the damage done to those who smoked weed and progressed to the stronger stuff alerted me to the reality that I and I alone have responsibility for my personal health…. As a Baby boomer I got great deal. Jonas Salk and Alexander Fleming cleared the minefield of many diseases that took out depression-era citizens and my path was easier. I have a huge appreciation for those who worked so hard to make things better for me. That’s why I ride my bike; It’s good for my heart, my lungs and my mind. You do what you want; you’re free for now. See you on the road.
Originally Posted by indyfabz
(Post 21046293)
This thread reminded me that I need to pick up a pack of smokes after I leave work and ride to happy hour for a couple of Manhattans.
My favorite bartender works tonight. She and I have know each other for more than 14 years. OBTL
Originally Posted by gregf83
(Post 21042530)
I think you need to ride more and worry less about what other do. Maybe have a drink and relax once in a while.
Originally Posted by Bandera
(Post 21046228)
Agree. Those choices for many of us are not a sudden revelation or atonement for past missteps but part of a lifestyle that was out of the mainstream decades ago but with some beneficial consequences that are a by-product of cycling as a sport, along with the injuries that are also part of the deal.
That being said there is nothing more tedious than the smug sanctimonious humble brag inserted into a sermon on riding the bike as some sort of health panacea, sign of superior virtue, vitality and determined grit. Yawn.....
Originally Posted by teejaywhy
(Post 21042863)
As a Libertarian, you should believe that everyone DOES have the right to poison themselves.
But you are correct, they should have the responsibility to bear the consequences of their behavior.
Originally Posted by big john
(Post 21042507)
The Wrath of Ray9?
I won’t attempt to insinuate myself into this controversial discussion, but I am reminded of a controversial thread you started in 2017. I responded with several posts in ambiguous reply:
Originally Posted by Ray9
(Post 17559893)
“My new $7,000 bike and the futility of justifying the price to the average person.”
The average cost of a pack Marlboro Reds in the US is … The average cost of a six pack of Bud in the US is … The average weed smoker in the US spends about $... $9.73+$7.25 = $16.98 a day for the booze and butts. $2500/365= about $7 a day for weed. $16.98+$7 = $23.98 a day. $23.98 x 365 = $8,752.70 in a year for the average American to satisfy his or her self gratification. $8,752-$7000 = - $1,1752. So I'm still short since I do not smoke tobacco, consume alcohol or use weed. This is the best I can do. And this expense is for just one year, the expense for average self gratification goes on year after year until of course the medical expenses kick in. My last bike which I paid $3000 for in 2008 has lasted me for seven years. This is the best way I can explain the cost. People look very confused and dumb when I explain it this way. The pedals and some special wheels increase the cost of the bike.
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
(Post 17561704)
Frankly, besides justifying your purchase to yourself, I detect a hint of self-righteousness in your detailed analysis of costs of the habits of other, “average” (read: lesser) individuals compared to the monetary value of your superior cycling lifestyle. Kind of like the so-called “reformed smoker.”
Nonetheless, you’re speaking to the choir here, a better informed and receptive audience… I think a more appropriate discussion of explaining costs of a fine bike to a non-cyclist was asked on this thread, “Do you tell strangers how much your bike costs?"
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
(Post 17566158)
…bragging rights are also fun.
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
(Post 17697065)
Furthermore as described previously:
This enhanced riding experience translates into greater motivation to cycle-commute with corresponding monetary savings, and additional road cycling, both with health-promoting benefits. To paraphrase the MasterCard slogan: “Specialized S-Works carbon fiber bike, $4000…riding it, priceless.” |
I ride a bike because I like to ride a bike. The fact that I am in pretty good health at 78 has more to do with having healthy ancestors than my habits.
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Originally Posted by Ray9
(Post 21041260)
A lot of people wonder why I do something every day that would kill most people if they tried it once. Because I read the warnings on cigarette packages I abstained from the habit in 1976 when the price of the lung destroyers was 35 cents a pack. Observations of friends and relatives that abused alcohol convinced me to avoid the poison and seeing the damage done to those who smoked weed and progressed to the stronger stuff alerted me to the reality that I and I alone have responsibility for my personal health.
In 1972 when I watched Frank Shorter win the Olympic Marathon I started running to stay in shape when no one else I knew was doing it. I ran for many years until my joints and ligaments began to protest and because I had saved thousands from not buying tobacco weed, or alcohol, I had the resources to purchase an expensive racing bicycle in 1983. It was the best investment of my life as nearly all of the people who were putting powder up their noses at the time are either already dead or swallowing their faces in a nursing home today. As a libertarian I support the choices of all the corpses and institutionalized vegetables warehoused in beds across the nation enjoying the fruits of those choices. Every day at 72 I get on my bike and ride fifty miles, chasing the wind with clear lungs by choice. I know there is a risk due to traffic, driver inattention and impaired vehicle operation but it’s a risk worth taking just like the risk many others took when they voluntarily sabotaged their vital organs with chemicals. If I should meet my end on the highway don’t feel sorry for me because any sympathy I have for those who threw away their health by eating like pigs, smoking like chimneys and drinking like fish can be measured in microns. As a Baby boomer I got (a) great deal. Jonas Salk and Alexander Fleming cleared the minefield of many diseases that took out depression-era citizens and my path was easier. I have a huge appreciation for those who worked so hard to make things better for me. That’s why I ride my bike; It’s good for my heart, my lungs and my mind. You do what you want; you’re free for now. See you on the road. Seriously, there's only one way we all get out of here (i.e., life on this earth), and the effects of aging are inevitable for all of us. A very few get to the end of life fully ambulatory and with their wits intact, only to go out quickly and with little fuss. The rest of humanity fights against the infirmities of aging and eventual loss of faculties to the very end. Then, just as someone else carried us from the birthing table to the crib without us knowing it, we are carried from the deathbed to the grave without a clue as to what is happening. Some sage once said that "humility is seeing ourselves as the divine sees us." I'm not advocating any particular religion, but I am saying there is an inescapable reality that each of us has to face at the end of life. So you certainly should enjoy the vitality you have, but you also need to know the day is coming when a bit of humility will help you face those who will care for you when you are no longer able to care for yourself. BTW, please excuse my nitpicking (former English teacher here), but I corrected your writing in your penultimate paragraph. Just keeping it real... |
A little arrogance might help as you get older. As Betty Davis is reported to have said"Old age ain't for sissies."
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IDK ... having spent a lot of time working for a firm known for its arrogance, I found a great difference between 'I'm top notch' and 'I'm better than you.' One acknowledges that there are other capable people around; the other does not.
Taking pride in one's own accomplishments is great. Dissing others demonstrates ... suffice it to say that needing to criticize others, especially as generalizations, isn't a winning characteristic, IMO. |
As the Monkees so elequently put it, "People say we monkey around, but we're too busy singing, to put anybody down ... Hey hey we're the Monkees", etc.
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