was7g

I was out on a ride on Sunday, and I came home and scribbled this down, and finished it up this morning... a novelist I am not, but I felt compelled to put down a few lines.



Sunlight stabs through the shadows of overhanging trees, dappling the road ahead as I speed through the heart of another rural Virginia town. Like so many, this village is little more than a collection of a few houses and a post office clustered around a road and which has stood here for at least a hundred years. My hands are on the drops and my head down as I try to slip through the wind which fights against me, trying to rob me of speed.

I’ve tried to explain the allure of road cycling to friends and family, but they never seem to appreciate it as I do. Why do I spend so many hours on the bike? Why do I wear those funny clothes? Why do I know what my max heart rate is and where my lactate threshold is?

All of these questions are made moot by the sheer joy I receive as I churn through the wind on my bicycle, loving the burn of my muscles as I force the pedals around again and again, loving the pounding of my heart and the fire in my lungs, loving the satisfaction of cresting a long, steep hill and the thrill of speeding down the other side, loving the pure and absolute contentment of being outside, on a beautiful day, riding through this countryside. I love it all because in the end, I know that I am strengthening myself physically, mentally, and spiritually.

As I pass through the center of this beautiful little town, doing what I love, I come to a realization.

This day makes me glad to be alive.

I pause momentarily, smiling for a second or two, thinking about how much I love this sport, and how thankful I am for this day, and to be here, and to do this, before I slowly begin to turn the pedals over again and point the machine uphill.

blonduathlongrl

so glad to be alive is something I feel too when Im riding.
I really enjoyed reading this.thank you

Paul Barnard

Bump for a really thoughtful thread. I share many of your sentiments.

-VELOCITY-

Wow. This is beautiful. Nice job.

dcvelo

Well done....I came to the realization the other day that I smile a whole lot more when on the bike than at any other time. Maybe time to think about some of my other priorities...but I'm very grateful for cycling!

dcvelo

Oh, and where in Virginia...I do a lot of riding down on the Northern Neck (have a weekend place there).

baj32161

Top notch. I could not have said it better myself.

rollin

Well put was7g. Perhaps you should write a novel!

gcl8a

Nice username. I think we have something in common...

Although I am by no means particularly fast, I do my share of training rides and recovery rides, and you post reminded me of the different feelings I get on different rides. Yesterday was hill repeats, where I almost invariably ask myself "What the Hell are you doing out here?" This morning was a recovery ride in the early morning sun (5:00AM!), when the wind is still, the birds are singing, and everything is bathed in beautiful morning light.

ovoleg

Nice read

patentcad

Correct.

gfrance

Good for you!! I too have those "so glad to be alive" moments, but not always on the bike. I am the kind of person who pretty much has that giddy feeling all the time. The smallest things sometimes trigger it. Sometimes it's a great piece of music or a great book, or art. My wife doesn't quite share it. She sometimes says "I'm depressed". Sorry, wrong. I may be cranky or not in a great mood, but never depressed. I love and appreciate life's every moment.

deanp

Nice writing. Thanks.

BikeNC

Very nice! You need a publisher! A gifted writer has the ability to make the reader visualize. I could see the trees, the road, and the quaint town you were referring to. Nice!
Mike

buzzman

Right on.

How often so many of us get that rush as we come around a corner and see some spectacular view, or even some small thing that we would never have caught in a car (or had we stayed home)- the other night it was a huge snapping turtle for me.

It really is the primary reason for getting out there and riding. It's that combination with the endorphin rush of exercise- what a combo!

Thanks for the post.

FrankBattle 

Perfect. Thank you so much for that.

VeloLisa

That was beautiful, man. (wiping a tear..) I've had days like that, too. You just put it into words.

Thanks for sharing.