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IsBikingStillFun2016

Page history last edited by jerry 7 years, 6 months ago

IsBikingStillFun2016

 


 

Introduction/Definition/etc

 

It's a rhetorical question, that is missing a question mark, for many reasons, some of which are listed below, probably badly, but whatever...

 

Body

 

Well, here are some things that occurred to moi, recently:

 

Is Life Fun?

 

For some it is not, but maybe I'd like to die with my bike shoes (including Moto: boots) on...

For a depressive, it's really one of the only alternative meds I've found that does help...

For some others, it might not be, and I hope you find what you need, so that others aren't impacted, some religions say that suicide is a sin, others seem to think that killing others is their right, but I disagree, on many levels, you are out in the world, somewhere, and morals are encoded in religion, somehow, so say you thing infidels, heathens, and others are just bad, evil, and like a crime fighting person in somewhat wimpy tights, are sworn to fight evil, in it's many forms, but finding evil, and the right battle is always a problem, so you fight everything, and it gets wearing, until, some centuries down the road, you can't... The kryptonite, runs out, and it's just time to give it up, why look back, and hurt others in the process?  Let The Next Generation, take the fight?

  Maybe they can read about it instead?  Provide some grandfatherly/ grandmotherly advice, and put it to bed?

 

An Early Start?

 

Getting started, inertia, as I've recently been learning vicariously from the autism community, is a concept that may help...

Seasons differ on whether early is better, than later, around these parts of the world, early means cooler, which while more difficult to get started, it feels better than later when it is too hot, mid day , and siesta time, back to bed, for a well deserved old person nap...  If you can read this, and/or it's being read to you, you are old enough...  It's not failure to sleep, it's a privilege, ask any parent...

Better bikers and hackers than I have written a book on it, Reaching Escape Velocity, my the MicroShip.com guy, Computing Across America, his name, I'm forgetting at the moment, senior moments, and will have to reread it sometime, mostly it's fund raising for big technological tours, but smaller concepts might help too...

If you are not a morning person, I didn't start out as one, it's just the time I can avoid the most people, and down early, from a ride the day before might help that too, after 100 miles, and/or whatever your limits are, you might not have a choice... Eat a big meal, plan rest stops, and you can conk out fairly easily, if prepared...

 

Be Prepared

 

Might go without saying for Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, but need reminding, for OCD, and others, shit happens, both literally and figuratively...

Nobody has really successfully said I pack light, except for maybe the mobile home, RV and person moving a house, by truck, boat, landslide, earthquake, etc...

With experience, more knowledge may make that easier, smaller stuff, lighter stuff, and finding cheaper stuff, might help...  Blue highways by William Least Heat Moon has some interesting stuff, for motor camping professors, leaving the rat race, as well as Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Persig (sp?), which it's been decades, since I've read that philosophy with a catchy title, Phaedrus, a drop out genius/ mad person wants to go out the front door instead of dumped out the front, on his keester (read: bum, of the English variety)...

Money helps that preparation and traveling, but doesn't solve everything...

 

Too Much?

 

Maybe you are biking every day, almost all day anyways, a messenger, touring, like Race Across America, well you already know more than I know, but for some reason you are reading this, to see other's perspective, and/or required reading... People die, statistically, and really doing this activity, and many others... Just another Ghost Bike?  The more email lists and communities you are part of, say you planned a cross country tour and got on all sorts of local bike club lists, state lists, and are hearing more and more detail on the roads and routes and tourist destinations, both popular and off the beaten path, then you might also get the death notices too, and wonder how you can avoid that, some times you can't times just up, and shit happens, as they say, even if it's not the runs from a bad set of food, storage, and/or deliberately by carelessness of handlers...

 

Over decades, I once had some cleats, and ran down my knees into painful situation, it was fun to try something different, cheap cleats, and not bothering to learn what it really required, adjustment, walking funny, etc...

Similarly with a messenger bag, it grinded on my back, until I probably have permanent back damage, it was large, expensive, a status symbol, easy to get going on rainy days, not having to repack everything, to stay dry, but also, likely to get stolen, searched and questioned plus over stuffed with heavy stuff, until people thought I was Santa Claus, gimme! No! Grinch, instead, Coal!, you can't have it..

 


...

 

ABC's of Biking

 

Attitude may be one of the A's, I've forgotten, usually it's Air, maybe it's Airs, like have an arrogant stance on things to slow up the rest of the motoring world, and pedestrians and others that share the similar space(s)...

 

Air Brake Chain/Cables, is the stuff kids might need to remember, really a preflight checklist..

Even adults could probably use one, especially on tour, might save a turn around, and shopping last minute...

 

Organized Rides

 

Many people probably think this is what it's about, commuters go out almost every day, but some go out just for good weather, supporting a cause, and exercise mostly...  How and by whom it's organized may have something to say about how that all goes...  Weather permitting, it's 90% chance of something bad weather wise, and we are on the calendar, so have to go do it, some club rides just cancel and get some miles in any other time...

 

Socially

 

I can't say this is my best suit...

Some times I just growl at people.  I can't always think of something funny, f'ing brilliant, nor even makes sense, and gets awkward anyways... So why say anything, just make faces, you learned it as a kid, and then forgot, got it beaten out of you...

 

Flapping my arms like I'm flying is sometimes the fight boredom type of stuff, say on a 50 mile ride...

They might look at you funny, chances are cars, trucks, vans, pickups and buses, especially school buses do anyways...

But most make fun anyways, Margaret Mead or someone said, first they laugh at you, then you win...

Something in between, too, but I'm CRS...

 

 

Escapism

 

Mostly I ride to get away from other people, originally my father and being a teenager, which really just follows you though life anyways... No matter where you go, There you are, Buckaroo Bonzai Across the Eight Dimension, said it too...

 

Getting to Point B

 

The rides I tend to like are food rides, finding new and interesting foods, including ice cream, and county sweets, make it enjoyable for me, filling the tank, and taking some home, for later, is part of it, don't want to ride on an empty tank, but don't want to have to sleep, overeating and too much guilt afterwards...

 

Getting Back

 

If you get there, might help to get back too...

Plan B and C, help too... What is my out, if I think I can do 100+ at my age?

Carry some cash for a cab, ride, thanks, etc, for alternative ways back...

Maybe some RiderID and other forms of Identification, plus medical information, in case of a crash?

Not to be too negative, but without it, it might not make sense, for others trained and not, to be able to help...

Mental health has an advanced directive, don't like that hospital, had a bad treatment there, and like others, maybe writing that out, and safely kept, and available when needed, and that is what happens instead of what you don't want to happen...  All currently unspecified, and we are left guessing for you...

 

 

Naturally

 

Seeing Deer and Rabbits and Foxes, plus other wildlife, is part of the fun for me, and leaving early, just before sunrise and seeing it come up is part of the fun for moi, when it is fun...

By the time others get up, it gets crowded, and the more sensitive amongst the species have probably already left the area... And/or hiding from your noise...

They have radar like ears for a reason, they need early warning of you coming steaming along....

 

And other meaning, there are naked, and near naked rides for those that are into that sort of thing, WNBR, is not really family friendly, but somehow it is, you probably didn't want clothes when you were a kid, but at some point others told you to put on clothes, and you learned how to dress yourself, and the old ones (read prunes are their largest organ) probably aren't what you want to see...

 

Your skin is probably the best wet suit you have, but not all times is it warm enough, goose bumps are not that fun, shivering and hypothermia also, not fun, see WoodStock movies about crowds, low food, and taking the wrong pills, man, woman and child..

 

Moto Riders have Kevlar

 

And speaking of your largest organ, there are Kevlar pants, jackets, etc, and other protective gear to help you keep some of that skin.  I consider scars biker tattoos, other have real ink, but tetanus and other problems exist too...

Maybe I'm just getting tired or writing/typing, and need to rest...

 

Links

 

Do your own damn homework, why don't you?

 

A well formed search on most topics will get you more than you can read anyways...

Maybe write your own, personalized one instead?

And share that?

 

 

Conclusion

 

Summary of experience or similar

 

None, really, it's your personal choice, and others may make it for you, a checklist and hopefully amusing and informative journey through some other peoples' journeys, and considering when to hang it up...

 

 

Discussion

 

A place for feedback on the page presented

 

How do you decide Go/No Go?

Had enough?

When to hang it up?

When / iff to get started again?

Waist line telling you to tour?

Fat Man walking?

Can't even ride?

Won't fit out of the house/ doorway anymore?

Wonder if Mac Truck makes bikes?

What about 16 wheels on a bicycle?

StrongMan what it would take to get you out of bed, in the morning/and/or generally?

 

Well, say no more, you have a choice, and your and our health care plan (yep, even ObamaCares) might get you Moving...

 

What's your packing list look like?

 

Carbo loading full time, without the exercise?

Tired of the fat jokes?

Body image starting to get you down?

Before and after picture look appealing?

 

Enough taunting...

Inspiration, is the other guys and girls...

 

License

 

Creative Commons Share and Share Alike, Non Commercial, Non Derivative, for the whole site's contents unless otherwise explicitly stated

 

Page History

 

20160926 Jerry

  • Jerry created this page to MourningPage something before it's too late...

 

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