Bicycling
and bicycles have been among the few constants in my life. All manner
of other activities, objects, interests, avocations, relationships and
tastes have entered and left my body, my mind, my life. Also, beliefs
and ideas--mostly bad ones. At least, they usually seem irrational in
retrospect.
But riding a bicycle is one of the few things I've never regretted, never felt ashamed of. When I was riding more than I am now, there were people who gave me smirks of smug superiority when I couldn't give them a rational reason for the time, energy--and money--I was devoting to this passion. I get the same sort of reaction these days from people who wonder why I'm not skinnier. But I don't care, any more than I cared then: Such people don't remain in my life. But cycling does.
And, really, bicycles don't change that much. sure, they're made of different materials and have different configurations from the ones I rode and saw around me in my childhood, in my youth, in my previous life. There are even genres of bikes that didn't exist when I was starting out: Most notable among them is the mountain bike. But the basic idea of a bicycle is always the same: Using your feet (or hands or some other part of your body) to propel two wheels to propel yourself forward on two wheels.
I mean, really, what else is there in life?
But riding a bicycle is one of the few things I've never regretted, never felt ashamed of. When I was riding more than I am now, there were people who gave me smirks of smug superiority when I couldn't give them a rational reason for the time, energy--and money--I was devoting to this passion. I get the same sort of reaction these days from people who wonder why I'm not skinnier. But I don't care, any more than I cared then: Such people don't remain in my life. But cycling does.
And, really, bicycles don't change that much. sure, they're made of different materials and have different configurations from the ones I rode and saw around me in my childhood, in my youth, in my previous life. There are even genres of bikes that didn't exist when I was starting out: Most notable among them is the mountain bike. But the basic idea of a bicycle is always the same: Using your feet (or hands or some other part of your body) to propel two wheels to propel yourself forward on two wheels.
I mean, really, what else is there in life?
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| From Midwest Lotus |
