ability and bikes.

Permalink | Comments (2) | Share This

boxes are overwhelming 

I just sat. I looked at my boxes. I could see no breath, for if it was cold it would be warm but it was warm not cold, either way…it was like all life was sucked out of me, my breath was gone. The handicap man at the store, the oversize lady at the bank, or Jeremy the autistic kid who walks around my block bouncing a ball every few steps always remembers my name, “Your name is DAN”; these people don’t ride bikes. The breadth and width of these boxes in my family room, in my foyer…

 The ability to get out of bed; take my pick which one, how long and to go for that bike ride-something that many people just can’t do.  I just don’t know. Vices. I got em’. We live em’. I have too many bikes. Sounds like the best vice to have because when I am long gone these bikes can be ridden to work and school 50 years from now. Got the cross bike, got the road bike, the mountain bike both hard tail and full suspension and of course the latest edition I have the 29er. Yeah a 29 inch wheeled mountain bike that is like an SUV, only that I am the engine. (it goes over stuff easier). Mountain biking is like a roller coaster except I am the brake man, a freight train almost out of control.  Braking only slows you down, but please brake as you wish. Thankful as hell for all of this. The latest edition to my fleet is a Madone 6.9 at least that is what the box says.  Technically it’s a 29er wheel size. Yeah, I have never had a road bike so nice with so much technology, so I just sat a looked at the box with some thought.  The date says 4/4/2008 7:35 AM. My Madone was born 6 days ago is all I could think was how lucky I was to actually have this bike.  No matter what ability, just do it. Do the jump, do the race, come in first or last. Talk to your neighbors and friends. Tell them where you have come from and how you got there, like in 1994 at the NORBA National in Traverse City Michigan water pit 15 foot jump you stood at for an hour before trying it and then not clearing it and cracking your helmet and messing up your arm.  Tell the man walking down the street that a bike is better exercise and perhaps he may be interested in a bike. Help them with the selection and continue on to tell them they never have to do that water jump but do invite them to come and watch at race, a crit or track work out. Settle for riding them around the block.  Make them change their tube no less than three times so when they are from home they can do it themselves. Tell them about proper seat height. Bring them. Bring all with you. Ability and bikes. My Madone is made in the USA and that fact is pretty freakin cool. The fact that I have the ability and bikes just adds to life’s equation. Do your part as an ambassador of cycling, as someone has done it for you. If you are a just reading this, stop a cyclist and ask them about how to get involved. Your local bike shop is a great place to start to start to experience life through a different lens.