When my relatives ask me why I get up so early, purchase the ‘right’ kind of shoes for cycling, eat so much, drink so little alcohol, or jostle me about “riding a bicycle” so darn much – I just look at this photo (taken in late October of this year on the Dragon). What I see amazes even me. As I did yesterday, the day before, and the day before that – I shall ride oneth. Peace.

Isn’t that reason enough? If nuns are keeping fit – pedaling for St. Peter – then why not you? I know that applies to me. One might conclude riding a bike is prayerful in its own right. Umm? Maybe my 4.5 hours on Sunday were closer to a religious experience than I originally thought, and the induced meditation was full of enlightenment. Please continue riding onward with thoughtful prayers my friends.

When riding a bunch of miles every day, food doesn’t stick to your ribs, arms or any other body part. Cyclists who ride lots of hours per week typically consume freely – -  at breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack time and late night when the ice cream calls. The more hours you ride, the more you can (and must) eat. (My grocery bill yesterday was $209 – which included a 12-pak of Sam and a 6-pack of SN – but still, that’s for a week of grub-a-dub.)

On average, my daily intake is roughly six to seven thousand calories; more on Saturdays and Sundays (yeah). Each meal averages 1,500 (without dessert) along with two snacks and on-the-bike gels, beverages and such. After lunch I usually include chocolate (dark) on my list of consumed goodies. After dinner I eat several oatmeal cookies made by the BGE (very good). The point? Cyclists would rather eat to ride rather than ride to eat.

This past week someone sent me a photo of a nasty crash involving a professional cyclist getting crunched under a car. Naturally I had seen the photo, but wasn’t about to blog it in a post. Why? It only reiterates the painful side of riding. There wasn’t humor in it – nor anything that felt good. It reminded me of my own wreck where a mo-fo driver elected to run a stop sign, run me down and then drive away. Neither the photo nor my accident were positive.

The photo of the day today captures the spirit of why I ride … and why so many kids ride bicycles … because it’s freeing and a lot of fun. When you ride it requires your entire being to move forward – your mind, your vision, your legs, torso, arms — everything. In doing so you connect with the world around you and because you’re moving slower than in a car, you see more of the world. For those that haven’t ridden in a while – get out your bike, ride it somewhere and then take a gut check about how you feel. Go get an Icee and enjoy the summer. Ride on.

It’s here – at last. Bike PORN Friday’s. Looking ahead the theme for Friday is Bike PORN. What is Bike PORN? Well, it’s an “affinitas” for bike related bling to include bike gear, threads, trick-gadgets, cuties at races, and certainly bikes. Just go with the header and you’ve got the news – today is a “Bike PORN” day. Enjoy.

Have you noticed how windy it’s been this year? Sometime in early to mid-February the wind started blowing and it hasn’t stopped since. The wind seems to be blowing pretty hard most every day now. Typically it’s a March thing (in like a lion and out like a lamb).

The wind is a training aid – a catalyst to propel an average rider into a better-than-average rider. When pushing into the wind you mimic the motion of being on the front. You replicate the motion of being on a TT bike pushing hard on the gears. It stresses your legs and your spirit to endure and to appreciate the calm days – or the protection of the peloton. Either way, I appreciate the wind. Especially when it’s at your back. Sail on.

Take a look at this photo – do you see what’s really going on with the riders? The untrained eye would not notice the significant effort nor appreciate the energy required to move “at speed.” When the casual observer sees a race, the typical thought bubble above his or her head is something along the lines of …”I can do that – it’s just riding a bicycle.” Some folks feel (and think aloud), “maybe I should ride my bike – or even race. Sure, I’ll give it a try.” Careful though – don’t be fooled into believing it’s easy to move fast – continuously and for long periods of time. It takes years of training to get there — if at all.

If you care to stress your heart, your body, your entire being – a bicycle is worthy of riding. It gives as much as you give – and then some. Ride because you love the bike and ride because you know it will extend life as we know it. Ride on.

Sounds funny doesn’t it? Life and breathing go hand in hand. If you ride, run, swim, play basketball or any sport you eventually breathe a little harder. Sometimes much harder. For me it is an overt reminder how dependent we are our lungs to bring in fresh oxygen – to create energy and propel us forward. I ride because I want to breathe a little harder and hopefully a little longer in this lifetime. Ride on.

When the starter says “go” you know in your gut that at some point during the race you’re going to be tested. It may not be at the beginning of the race, but it does occur. Usually when you least expect it.

When training, especially in a group, you make a choice of when to test and when not to test. Group rides offer each individual multiple opportunities to push limits and test the body. Gauging your efforts against others helps satisfies the need to confirm ‘where you are or where you are not.’

On the other hand, testing your limits while training alone is what many riders call the benchmark of commitment. The absence of competitors (in a race) or fellow riders (in a group) make it much more difficult for the average cyclist to test their body.  Frankly, it’s harder to “push yourself” when it’s not race-specific or group oriented.  I ride because I look forward to all three forms of testing.

The energy that is conserved by following is tremendous. Some researchers indicate 30% or greater. My take on the real number is this: how hard is the pace??!! There are times when following saves 0% energy because the tempo is FAST. Riding a bike allows you to follow – or lead. You can lead when you’re not on the front – you can lead in the middle of the peloton. How? By riding safely – by watching out for other riders – by thinking. Lead or follow – riding your bike gives you lots of opportunity for both.