Different way of thinking.

When I first started riding a bicycle seriously, I was 12 years old. At that time, there were no limits - no restrictions - on what I could do on a bicycle. It was just open - I could go where I wanted, ride as much as I could when I could. The last thing I needed in my life at that time were more restrictions. I already had someone telling me when to eat, go to bed, go to school, do chores, do homework, take a shower, take insulin injections, when to go to recess, etc. On the bike, it was just me, the bicycle and the outdoors - in short, it was awesome! I was free.

I know a lot of riders nowadays who feel that they have a choice in their riding. But at the same time, I am sometimes amazed at how many limits riders put on themselves. And I'll give you an example of what I'm talking about, from comments I've heard in the past year:

"I only race Road Races - never Criteriums - Criteriums are too dangerous."
"I don't mountain bike because it has a negative factor on my road riding."
Conversely, "I don't ride road bikes because I'm a mountain biker."
"I don't commute by bike because I sweat too much."
"I'll never ride rollers because I'm afraid of falling."
"Why would I want to pay to enter a Time Trial - I can go out on the road whenever I want and time myself for free!"
"I only like going out with this group because they keep the speed I like."
"Oh, I don't ride in the rain - if it's raining, I'm staying inside."
"Spinning class is not the same as outdoor riding - and I'm an outdoor rider only."
Conversely, "I only take Spinning - it's too hard to ride outside."
"It's too cold to ride."
"It's too hot to ride."
"It's too windy to ride."
"It's too dark to ride."
"It's too foggy to ride."
"I'm suppose to do Z1 training today, so I can't go riding with you guys."

We are all guilty of setting these kinds of limitations on our riding. Sure, life in general has built-in limitations at times.......but our cycling is our recreation.....a way to re-create ourselves. I am just as guilty as the next person in putting self-imposed limits on my riding. But through the years, the one thing I really came to realize is that breaking through those limits and experiencing all kinds of cycling is part of the magic of riding. It's a way to believe and to think - to open up your mind to new experiences on the bike and in life in general.

Anyway, enough Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy. Go ride your bike!!!