It's kind of frustrating when what I really want to be doing is not possible without making some major sacrifices that probably wouldn't go over well with the family or the employer. So, I take what I can get.
There also is a wisdom that says "Don't compare yourself to others", but with social media it is hard not to. Seeing others doing long gravel rides makes me feel depressed sometimes. I shouldn't worry about that, but it gets to me sometimes.
But, I've been riding every day. I've been outdoors, breathing, capable of riding, and staying healthy. That's all good stuff. I should try more to just do my own deal as good as I can do it and be grateful I can do it.
Things change too. I'm in a space now that makes getting out there harder for me, and the weather too, it's been not very favorable much of the year when I've had the chances to ride. I mean, take Sunday for instance. 50's in mid-May? Rain? Hmm.....
Better days will come. I just have to be patient.
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| Path flowers are popping. |
So for now I have been putting in the miles in between the margins of being busy doing other stuff. Work, family, and well.....more "other work". And the thing is that the schedule is so all over the place that I have been having a hard time adjusting to it all. Too many years of the same-ol-same-ol.
So, I accept that I have a part to own in all of this It's a work in progress......
9 comments:
I hear you. Can I share a story which may relate? After last month's 300k which was a rainy cold mess of less comfort, I said to myself to not do that again. I found myself explaining to regular folk why thereafter. When I say regular, I mean those who work everyday and return the same place to sleep. When you enjoy just cycling or bicycles of any type you have to accept the ruler in use is of a different metric. Saturday, despite the weather forecast, I showed up to do a 400k. Everything seemed like the weather predicted was wrong. Then midday the sky openned. With the pace purposely slowed from 13 to average eleven, it was fun watching various folks pass by until it seemed the roster ran out. My condition was where I vowed not to be in relation to the 300k. I quit at mile 105. Others would ride on. This would a different story for them once returned to "normal" living. While sitting in the motel super dry and warm that thought came to mind, but then the Garmin started beeping which led to a data search. The total miles listed on the Odometer since Jan 1, 2023 is 12,753. Yeah, I do not feel guilty about not doing 250 miles- could use that $80 entry fee and this $100 motel escape back though, lol. We are all doing it right.
@teamdarb - We are doing it right, and that would be exactly "right for us and our situations". Not just anyone can be who we are and we have to run our own deal. But it is complicated, this life, and my mind, at least, is a battlefield at times.
Thank you for the comment.
The grass always look greener on the other side of the screen. You've got a lot of things going that pull you in other directions, things that some of those putting in big miles might look at and get a little envious as well. Podcasts, blogs, interweb review site and family just to name a few. All who wander are not lost and all who put in thousands of miles a month are not always happy and satisfied with life. Having just lost another cycling friend who lost his fight with depression the people we see don't always reflect the struggles we don't. The miles will come, they always do.
@Rydyn9ers - You are right. Great perspective. Thank you.
peaks and valleys, highs and lows. ive followed your blog for years, you and the late steve tilford were and are a valued part of every morning. during some of my lows if you'd told me id be able to retire and ride across the country at age 65, well i wouldn't have believed it.
self employed chef of a small bistro with an arthritic hip, tons of bills and stress etc... well it happened, that was in 2018. now im 70 and
heading out again tomorrow. in fact one of the reasons my route will take me eventually to nebraska and iowa is you and your writing.
thank you GT, thank you very very much.
@Unknown - Wow....Thank you very much! I am honored by this comment and the thought that I had anything to do with motivating you to cycle.
Hi GT. Please don’t take this as criticism but rather an outside opinion. From my perspective it seems that you spend more time tinkering with your bikes than you should, time that would be better spent riding them. Obviously you do some product reviews which necessitate some of that, but you often go above and beyond on your projects and there’s certainly many that aren’t reviews related. For example, your roller cam brake project was completely unnecessary and in a month will you still consider that time and money well spent? I assume that you enjoy those projects, but I suggest that you ask yourself if that is higher priority for you than actually riding. If it is, great. There’s nothing wrong with that. But it seems that you aren’t at peace with that. Also, you wrench on bikes for a living, so perhaps you don’t also need to scratch that itch at home too? I kindly suggest that you ask yourself if you’d be happier taking on another bike project or riding some more instead. The ride sounds like it would improve your mental health more and it certainly is better for your physical health. As we’re getting older that’s more important than ever. I hope I don’t offend you, I’m just trying to help. And I say all this looking in the mirror, knowing that these words apply to myself as well and I’m trying to improve.
@Nooge: First of all, thanks for the thoughtful words and no- I did not take any offense in what you were trying to say. Thank you!
I would like to try to convey to you though that I actually do ride often. I just don't let you all know that. For instance, I made a self-challenge to ride every day this month no matter what, and so far, I am on track with that. So, riding happens here. A lot! I just don't feel it is necessary or worthy of a blog post.
Secondly, my desire is to ride 40- 50 miles at a crack three times a week or more and if I am not getting that I get a bit frosty about that with myself. That's unrealistic thinking, but I am being honest here. Those would constitute "rides" in my mind. I guess what I was trying to say in this post is that I need to become more realistic with my expectations.
You mentioned the roller cam bike. I actually ride that bike a LOT! Again- you would have no reason to know that, but it has quickly become a great tool for town rides, errands, and commuting to work.
So, I hope that settles your concerns a bit over my riding activities. Again- I appreciate the time you took to think about that and then to actually make the effort to write out those thoughts to me. I appreciate that very much. Thank you!
I’m glad to hear that. You sounded really down on yourself in the post. It sounds like it was maybe how you are judging what you’re doing versus what you’re actually doing.
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