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I'M BACK ON MY BIKE!



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 23rd 04, 07:38 AM
Blair P. Houghton
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Default I'M BACK ON MY BIKE!


I got my Holdsworth cleaned and repacked and trued. New
tape, new rubber.

Took it out this morning.

Found my Campy shirt and my shorts right where I left
them, surprisingly clean and supple, like they'd been
washed yesterday. Opened the garage, strapped myself on,
and lit out.

First time I and that bike have been on the road since...
must be... 1992?

Still as sexy as it ever was. Sleek and silky and hungry
to split the wind.

Didn't go too far. I've lost enough weight to do my bike
justice again, but I'm not in any kind of shape. Only rode
about 4 miles, kept up 60-70 strokes except on the climbs,
but the last hill almost clobbered my quads; I couldn't
even get up to mash; I had to gear down and grind. Put a
good sweat on, though; and a little burn, too.

Went home, leaned my bike against the garage cabinets,
rehydrated myself, played with the dog, had fun climbing
the stairs, took a shower.

A bit later, driving to work, I realized: I'm back on my bike.

Reconnected with the centuries, the rush, the wind, the
turned heads, the crits, the fun-runs, the decade I spent
watching those pedals flash under drops of sweat, my lost
body, my spent optimism, chapters of my life.

A dozen years of being too busy, too heavy, or having the
easy-out of recumbent stationary bikes with the TV and eye
candy at the gym had kept us apart. If that gym hadn't
closed, or the other one hadn't tried to hard-sell me, I
might have taken the easy-out again. But fate has spoken.

I'm back on my bike. With no end of the ride in sight.

--Blair
"Go ahead. I'll catch up."
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  #2  
Old July 23rd 04, 08:44 AM
S o r n i
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Default I'M BACK ON MY BIKE!

Blair P. Houghton wrote:
I got my Holdsworth cleaned and repacked and trued. New
tape, new rubber.

Took it out this morning.

Found my Campy shirt and my shorts right where I left
them, surprisingly clean and supple, like they'd been
washed yesterday. Opened the garage, strapped myself on,
and lit out.

First time I and that bike have been on the road since...
must be... 1992?

Still as sexy as it ever was. Sleek and silky and hungry
to split the wind.

Didn't go too far. I've lost enough weight to do my bike
justice again, but I'm not in any kind of shape. Only rode
about 4 miles, kept up 60-70 strokes except on the climbs,
but the last hill almost clobbered my quads; I couldn't
even get up to mash; I had to gear down and grind. Put a
good sweat on, though; and a little burn, too.

Went home, leaned my bike against the garage cabinets,
rehydrated myself, played with the dog, had fun climbing
the stairs, took a shower.

A bit later, driving to work, I realized: I'm back on my bike.

Reconnected with the centuries, the rush, the wind, the
turned heads, the crits, the fun-runs, the decade I spent
watching those pedals flash under drops of sweat, my lost
body, my spent optimism, chapters of my life.

A dozen years of being too busy, too heavy, or having the
easy-out of recumbent stationary bikes with the TV and eye
candy at the gym had kept us apart. If that gym hadn't
closed, or the other one hadn't tried to hard-sell me, I
might have taken the easy-out again. But fate has spoken.

I'm back on my bike. With no end of the ride in sight.

--Blair
"Go ahead. I'll catch up."


Very, very nice. Thanks for that.

Bill "between the Tour and /that/ bit of inspiration, ain't no way I ain't
riding tomorrow (today now)" S.


  #3  
Old July 23rd 04, 05:02 PM
Claire Petersky
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Default I'M BACK ON MY BIKE!

Blair P. Houghton wrote in message ...

I'm back on my bike. With no end of the ride in sight.


Blair, it's probably just hormones on my part, but reading this post
got me all choked up. I'm a sucker for tear-jerking romance stories,
and that is what this is.

I'm glad you've been reunited with your bike. I hope you have a long
and beautiful relationship together.

Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
Home of the meditative cyclist:
http://home.earthlink.net/~cpetersky/Welcome.htm
  #4  
Old July 23rd 04, 07:14 PM
Max
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Default I'M BACK ON MY BIKE!

Blair P. Houghton wrote:

Holdsworth


fruit tree orchards loom
blair houghton's big adventure
blossoms up his nose

..max

--
the part of
was played by maxwell monningh 8-p
  #5  
Old July 23rd 04, 07:38 PM
S o r n i
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Posts: n/a
Default I'M BACK ON MY BIKE!

Max wrote:
Blair P. Houghton wrote:

Holdsworth


fruit tree orchards loom
blair houghton's big adventure
blossoms up his nose


Gessundheit!

Bill "always cover mouth when Haikuing" S.


  #6  
Old July 23rd 04, 09:18 PM
the black rose
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Default I'M BACK ON MY BIKE!

Blair P. Houghton wrote:
*snip*
A bit later, driving to work, I realized: I'm back on my bike.

Reconnected with the centuries, the rush, the wind, the
turned heads, the crits, the fun-runs, the decade I spent
watching those pedals flash under drops of sweat, my lost
body, my spent optimism, chapters of my life.

A dozen years of being too busy, too heavy, or having the
easy-out of recumbent stationary bikes with the TV and eye
candy at the gym had kept us apart. If that gym hadn't
closed, or the other one hadn't tried to hard-sell me, I
might have taken the easy-out again. But fate has spoken.

I'm back on my bike. With no end of the ride in sight.

--Blair
"Go ahead. I'll catch up."


What a marvellous story. Thank you for sharing.

--
the black rose
GO LANCE GO!!!
proud to be owned by a yorkie
http://community.webshots.com/user/blackrosequilts

  #7  
Old July 27th 04, 02:05 AM
Automator
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Default I'M BACK ON MY BIKE!

A bit later, driving to work, I realized: I'm back on my bike.

No you're not, you're just another sloth justifying your existence by being
another annoying recreation-only cyclist.

Get rid of your car, truck, SUV ... whatever, and start biking to work --
then you'll be "back on [your] bike"


  #8  
Old July 28th 04, 08:54 AM
Mike1
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Default I'M BACK ON MY BIKE!

In article ,
"Automator" wrote:

A bit later, driving to work, I realized: I'm back on my bike.


No you're not, you're just another sloth justifying your existence by being
another annoying recreation-only cyclist.

Get rid of your car, truck, SUV ... whatever, and start biking to work --
then you'll be "back on [your] bike"



May I be a troll too?
What are the qualifications?

--
Reply to sans two @@, or your reply won't reach me.

Drug smugglers and gun-runners are heroes of American capitalism.
-- Jeffrey Quick
  #9  
Old July 28th 04, 08:56 AM
Mike1
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Default I'M BACK ON MY BIKE!

Max wrote:

Blair P. Houghton wrote:

Holdsworth


fruit tree orchards loom



paraphrasing The Beatles

"Mulberry trees forever....!"


Mmmmm. Mulberries.

--
Reply to sans two @@, or your reply won't reach me.

Drug smugglers and gun-runners are heroes of American capitalism.
-- Jeffrey Quick
  #10  
Old July 29th 04, 12:36 AM
Dan Chatten
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Posts: n/a
Default I'M BACK ON MY BIKE!

Great read. Peddle on brother !
 




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