Cycling Church vs. Religion

posted on February 19th, 2013 in Adventures, Cycling by Stephen

I see that some people post comments about attending cycling “church”.

It got me thinking about different rides that I have ridden before – but I like the use of the church vs. religion to convey that meaning I felt.

I used to Mt bike the local Atlanta trails quite often, with the occasional trip to the Mountains to ride the trails there. Doing the 90 minute drive to the Mountains for the day or for the weekend was tough to do.

THEN, I was able to move closer to the Mountains. I started to discover a big difference between Mt biking some local trails and heading up over a mountain with plans to explore trails that only a handful of people may know about.

I found that I could text only 2 or 3 of my friends about where I was starting, and where I expected to come out at. Many others would have no idea where either of these two points were.

My pack changed from tubes & water – to ‘12 long haul essentials‘.

It was after doing this for a summer, and seeing a few friends posts that I started to realize that there was a big difference in the sensations of going for a ride at the local trails (which are Great!) and going for that long haul in the mountains.

I started to figure that for me, going to the local trails and pounding out some miles was the going to ‘church’.

But going to the mountains and exploring, getting lost, finding new trails, landmarks, waterfalls, and barely making it back to the car before sundown – that my friends is my religion.

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Is taking drugs a safer way to do a 3 week bike race?

posted on January 30th, 2013 in Cycling by Stephen

Think about it. It is a possibility.
These guys are gladiators on the road, cycling up mountain passes. Racing along at faster and faster speeds.

Think about how wasted you would be after doing a century! Now consider doing that for a week, one day off then doing a century through the mountains. A couple flat stages, then a couple more centuries in the mountains, then one day off then a couple more centuries.

If this is what the spectators expect is that what they should be given?

How much abuse can the human body take? How many miles can the human body pedal all out and get up the next day prepared to do it again, but even harder this time.

They say that the big difference between the Giro & the Tour is that the Giro is relaxed until you get to the Mountains. The Tour is a Race, to get to the Mountains, and then a race up the Mountain!

The main reason that cyclists take steroids is not for building muscle!! It is for recovery!! Is that what is necessary of these gladiators to keep us entertained?!

Do we constantly desire more mountains & more excitement each year?

How can the promoters keep doing this while keeping the fans and more importantly the sponsors happy?

Is it all at the expense of the riders themselves?

Once a cyclists is found to be doping should be shame the rider or shame the race?

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Out of Cycle

posted on January 3rd, 2013 in Cycling by Stephen

I have had lots of things going on lately….. although some good, some not ideal.
One thing has been that I have had to close down my personal training studio in Atlanta.

The commute and food on my plate was eating up the revenues that it was generating…. I miss my clients, but getting up before daylight, racing traffic, working several hours in the AM hanging out mid-day and working several hours in the evening had taken it’s toll.

I was done with Atlanta area. Traffic is one of the worst in the SouthEast, and if you live more than about 10 miles from where you work it isn’t hard to spend 30-90 minutes in your vehicle to get back and forth.

And cycling in rush hour traffic was like playing frogger. It seemed only a matter of time, especially after some close-calls – or looking down at as a car is passing only to see a cell phone on the steering wheel because someone is texting.

Now, I’m relocated in a rural area, but basically pretty flat. Only some rollers. Even though that shouldn’t deter me, I do live close to the S.C. state TT age group champion… But I miss exploring the Mountains, thus, as Winter had set-in, I found that I was spending less time on the bike. I’ve been out of Cycle.

This came up on a recent weekend camping trip with friends. We stopped to regroup and a friend asked how long I have been off the bike – I really had to stop and think…
This is the first time that I haven’t shaved my legs in about 15 years.
This is the most I have been of the bike since 1998 when I had started cycling year-around.

Am I done…. for good? NO! I already have future camping/mt biking trip planned for Spring! And I’m hopeful that maybe I will finally be able to make a 2nd trip out West to Colorado.

I think I’m just out of cycle. Taking a longer break than normal. Waiting for old man winter to pass, waiting for the days that you don’t have to spend 20 minutes getting dressed before clipping in.

It was funny to suddenly hop back on the bike with some friends. I miss cycling, but I miss cycling with my friends the most! Cycling is so single oriented – we each pedal our own bicycle, yet when we do it together, there seems to be more enjoyment.

So, get out there with some friends!! Enjoy the Ride – Happy Trails!!

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