Friday, January 06, 2006
I Still Got It!
I may not have as much as I used to, and I may have a little more than I did in some places, but I STILL GOT IT! ;-)
Okay, okay, enough self agrandisement. What I still have, in varying quantities, is the ability (if you will) to go out for a bike ride! Okay, so that may not be as interesting to some as it may be to others -or me- but it is something that I have personally been... doubting... for a while now. Not that I felt as though I have forgotten how to ride a bike. That is silly because getting back a bike and riding is like... well... riding a bike. (Cliche' I know, but that is all I could think of.) Methinks that I meant more that I have slightly 'forgotten' why I started bike riding in the first place. (Read that as "for fun". Thanks for the words, Kim.)
What started this line of talking, thinking, whatever, was my annual "The sun is out! I must plan a BIG BIKE RIDE for later this year!!" (You can ask Kim. It isn't a pretty sight...)
Anyway... This year -or was it last year? these years all seem the same any more- my 'inspiration' for The Big Bike Ride was finding out that my mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. I'll let the link at left explain all the particulars about the disease, but suffice it to say that I was a bit freaked out. Also, the MS150 Bike Tour was one of the first -and most eventful, I might add- biking events that I had participated in. Needless to say, I have some history with them.
Okay... I'm rambling... Deep breath... Okay, all better.
Anyway again, this year I decided that I would do the MS 150 Bike Tour for my Big Bike Ride. Had it all figured out too. Ride to the event start, camp out the night before the event, do the event, camp out again, and ride home. Oh, and raise funds ($200 US) to help fight MS. No problem, right? Well... Not exactly. First off, the ride is about 30 miles from where I live; about 60 miles round trip. That, and the 100 miles I was planning on riding over the 2 days of the event... Let's just say that -at my current level of 'fitness'- it is an ambitious goal. (What can I say, I am in incurable optimist...) AND I have never been very good at the 'beg and plead' for donations. Looking bad here... That's not to say that I couldn't do the 1 day event. In fact, that is probably what I will be doing...
But, I digress. (Gee, ya think?!?) Anyway, the riding thing. I have been riding a bicycle in one capacity or another for 20+ years. Does quick math... That means that I was... about 2 when I started riding. ;-p Okay, maybe a bit older than that, but you get the idea. ;-) About 10 years ago, I got all hot and heavy (er, sotospeak) about doing long miled group rides. Suffice to say, that the crowd that I was at the time 'brainwashed' me into being an over the top bike riding guy. I still have withdrawl symptoms. (See earlier in this post...)
The thing that I think I have FINALLY come to realise is that I NEED to get back to that 'ride for fun, riding is fun' thing that I used to know so well. And then use the 'organized' rides to get to know other biker types. Hopefully to be friendly, not indoctrinated into 'over the top bikerness'... sotospeak... That is the plan at least. I'm not saying that it will be easy, but I am at the very least wanting to try and try. And then try again?!? lol
Okay, enough biking stuff for now. How about a little stitching type stuff? Since Anneke was so kind to comment on my last post, I thought that the least that I could do was make a post and comment on her comment. ...um...yeah...sometinglikethat...
Anyway... She was curious as to what The Red Bicycle project will look like when it is done. My Prologue pic wasn't really big enough to get a good idea of what it looked like. Well, for your viewing pleasure, here is a pic of what the finished project will look like, per the manufacturer:
As you can see, the fence in the previous post pic is about 1/3 of the completed project. Also, per a comment from Lili, the completed size will be about 25cm (10") W x 36cm (14") H. Granted, that is an approximation. No telling what is going to happen while I am working on it... ;-) Just kidding. The only thing that will be different from this pic is that I am doing it on a different colored fabric. Oh, and I plan on 'signing' it with a stitched version of my actual signature. You know, like when you sign your name on a check or at the end of a letter? Yeah, somethinlikethat. I have a feeling that it will be the hardest part of the whole project. But then again, I could be wrong...Whoa! I typed up a lot of stuff there. Methinks that I must have needed a bit of cartharsis or something. But most likely, I just like to talk once I get started. (And I ramble... Did I mention that?!?)
Final anyway, I better let you all go for now. I am loosing blogging cohesiveness so it will be for the best. ;-) You all have a good day/evening/whatever and I will blog again later!
# posted by gC @ 5:42 PM 
Comments:
<< Home
Hello,
Hope that I motivated you to ride :) Good for you, it feels nice to get out after not riding for a while, I always like it. I totally know where you are coming from in regards to being all caught up in the cycling world. You pretty much described me for the past three years, racing, group rides, better and better bikes (all costing more then the one before) and getting burnt out. I discovered recumbents this fall, and I love it, it really has brought the fun back into cycling. I still need a challenge though, so I am going to train for randoneering rides this summer, and hopefully complete a few of them (kind of like your long ride you have planned). Also a small tour may happen sometime in the summer. Also I love the red bike cross stitch, looks really good. Keep up the cycling, it keeps you healthy which is so important these days and it really melts the stress off. You clearly have a talent with the cross stitching too, I like the fact that you are willing to do something that men don't normally partake, it shows a lot of open mindedness on your part.
Hope that I motivated you to ride :) Good for you, it feels nice to get out after not riding for a while, I always like it. I totally know where you are coming from in regards to being all caught up in the cycling world. You pretty much described me for the past three years, racing, group rides, better and better bikes (all costing more then the one before) and getting burnt out. I discovered recumbents this fall, and I love it, it really has brought the fun back into cycling. I still need a challenge though, so I am going to train for randoneering rides this summer, and hopefully complete a few of them (kind of like your long ride you have planned). Also a small tour may happen sometime in the summer. Also I love the red bike cross stitch, looks really good. Keep up the cycling, it keeps you healthy which is so important these days and it really melts the stress off. You clearly have a talent with the cross stitching too, I like the fact that you are willing to do something that men don't normally partake, it shows a lot of open mindedness on your part.
Biking is a part of normal life here in the Netherlands, but biking for a good cause isn't. Good for you!!
Your red bike piece is really ambitious - can't wait to see thos progress pics!
Your red bike piece is really ambitious - can't wait to see thos progress pics!
All right. it took me some time to get it all... So you intend to ride a bike and raise funds at the same time for research on multiple sclerosis (so sorry for your mom!)? Is that it? It's a great idea! You have all our support on this challenge! It certainly takes a lot of courage and strong will! I'm sure Kim is very supportive about this too... When will that be?
Cross stitch: Great pic as it was hard to figure out what it was exactly...
Take care!
Cross stitch: Great pic as it was hard to figure out what it was exactly...
Take care!
That looks like one ambious project. It's looking quite well at the moment. When is the annual bike-a-thon? Good luck with it, it's definately for a great cause.
Hi Greg and Barbara (and Kim of course!),
I'm writing from the Netherlands, and I must correct Barbara.
WE DO HAVE RIDES FOR CHARITY!!!
Sorry for the screeming. ;o)
In our country we (allmost) all ride bikes, here we are almost born on a bike! :o)
Barbara is living in our country, but she sure does not know everything about us, neighter am I, but I do at least know of several bikerides for a good cause!!!
One of the best known is The Ride for the Roses, wich even had Lance Armstrong as a competitor!
http://www.ridefortheroses.nl/
http://www.ridefortheroses.nl/index.asp?PageID=15
The good cause in this case is the fight agains cancer.
I just could not kept my mouth shut, because Barbara has it looked like the US is always doing everything better, and I just could not stand it anymore!!!
@ Barbara, before doing another statement about the Netherlands just look for it at Google, and double check if its the right thing to say!
Juul :o)
Post a Comment
I'm writing from the Netherlands, and I must correct Barbara.
WE DO HAVE RIDES FOR CHARITY!!!
Sorry for the screeming. ;o)
In our country we (allmost) all ride bikes, here we are almost born on a bike! :o)
Barbara is living in our country, but she sure does not know everything about us, neighter am I, but I do at least know of several bikerides for a good cause!!!
One of the best known is The Ride for the Roses, wich even had Lance Armstrong as a competitor!
http://www.ridefortheroses.nl/
http://www.ridefortheroses.nl/index.asp?PageID=15
The good cause in this case is the fight agains cancer.
I just could not kept my mouth shut, because Barbara has it looked like the US is always doing everything better, and I just could not stand it anymore!!!
@ Barbara, before doing another statement about the Netherlands just look for it at Google, and double check if its the right thing to say!
Juul :o)
# posted by 
: January 14, 2006 8:55 PM
: January 14, 2006 8:55 PM << Home
