What does a guy with 3 Porsche 911s and all the tools, skills and equipment needed to maintain and race them do for fun? He finds out that cycling is a blast, purchases a road bike and hits the trails and roads in the area.
This spring I dusted off my nearly 20 year old (and nearly unused) “Mountain” bike and started riding starting with the nearby WO&D. I quickly discovered that I liked cycling/exploring and after a few months of lumbering around getting “On your lefted” by moms with strollers, joggers and the like it dawned on me that an entry level, knobby tire shod, pickup truck of a bicycle might not be the best tool for the job. I figured I also needed to lose some weight to get a bit faster so it was off to my LBS for some weight loss training. Amazing places the local bike shops are I have to say. I was able to shed many pounds of bike from under my butt in just one visit and my wallet became much lighter, slimmer and easer to lift too! New bike in hand I made some rides getting the feel of a road bike and then made more visits to the LBS for yet more of the stuff that goes along with riding and maintaining a bike and the motor that powers it. More rides and with the changing of the seasons yet more visits to the LBS. Hey, I don’t have a cycling problem. I can stop any time I want to… I just chose not to….:rolleyes:
Even with reading up and planning ahead I alway seemed to make one or more flubs per outing early on. A few that come to mind. 1. Like old German sports cars, bike reliability, new bike or not, is directly related to the weight of the tool kit on hand. 2. While happily chugging along in your own world it is best to check for tire suckers before “degassing” yet again after a much enjoyed but rather rich dinner the night before. (Sorry who ever you were, I hope the gagging and eye tearing cleared up) 3. I have a much better idea of what a black on black with black accents wearing “Ninja jogger” is and how to skid a road bike cartoon like on early a.m. dew covered pavement without splatting. You would think that somewhere on her (black) water bottle and granola bar festooned jogging belt belt would be a light or reflector. 4. Yes in fact it is Deer rutting season and yes that was a @#%#! six point buck I almost hit while zooming along in the drops on Kirby road. 5. The Garmin Edge rocks and using one to plan interesting rides and see where others are riding has been fun in and of itself.
The best thing I have discovered so far is there are lots of paths and roads around this area to ride and all kinds of other people riding on them. This site seems to be populated with some like minded and far more experienced folks so I hope you don’t mind if I read, laugh and virtual draft a bit behind the more experienced cyclists here. Having been on the steep end of other sports, pastimes and hobbies I know that while learning something new there are too many mistakes available to make them all yourself. All I can pay back for now is the odd story or two from the neophyte end of things. I will try and stop in at one of the Bike Arlington light giveaways and put a face to some of the names. I am easy to find, just look for the often grinning sometimes grimacing slow guy on the flashy fast looking bike.
Kurt M. aka, Vicegrip.
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