Ok...so, I've spent the better part of the last 6 weeks bitching about the weather. Apparently my opinion of when spring should arrive differed greatly with that of the calendar, the cosmic cycle, la nina, and the global climate. Thus, we got more snow...I got more angry.
However, a sudden turn over the past week has me loving the great out of doors. Hell...I have tan lines!
You'd think that this would be the cause for great and glorious celebration. And, it was. For a couple days I stood outside...reigning over my lawn like the king of my own tiny land. In the spirit of Sports Center..."Bring me the finest meats and cheeses in all the land!".
Now, though, the weather is irking me slightly. Why? Well, because I'm exhausted. I've been waiting for weather like this for so long that if a single minute of daylight goes by when I am not doing something to enjoy it...I feel like its wasted. Thus, I've been riding as much as possible...taking the long way home from work...doing JDRF rides, doing rides with my wife...generally spending lots of time outside. However, I've also been spending even more time than usual at work. So, that means lots of very short nights lately...
in short. I'm exhausted. I'm taking the day off of the bike today. No run. No bike. No swim. No yard work. Nada. Nothing. Zippo. Zilch. And, I'm committing to a good nights sleep tonight. Minimum of 8 hours. No excuses.
On the plus side...I have felt great on the bike. And, I definitely reached a personal zenith during the JDRF ride on Sunday. The weather was great, my legs felt great, and I had Carmen at my side (I missed you Carmen!), I managed to hook up with Ted (which doesn't happen nearly often enough), and since I found Ted's wheel I managed to find Danielle's wheel by proxy. In short, everything just made me want to fly. I was able to take some long pulls at the front of the group (something I never did last year without feeling like I would die), I was able to maintain a good speed...and, I was able to really open it up on the second half of the ride.
On a personal level, this was probably the single most enjoyable ride I've been on. However, from a group or team perspective... I blew it. Big time. I didn't do what I should have done...which is make sure that everyone was having fun, that everyone was riding with someone. I failed at the one thing I vowed that I would do this year. I failed to help someone new...I want to do for someone else what Carmen, Jasker, and the VCC gang did for me last year. And, I didn't do that at all. MC would claim that is his job, not mine. But, I'm of the opinion that it is a group responsibility to ensure that the group has fun. We can't leave that all on MC.
I'll do better next time! I need to remember that it's not a race. Last year (and with the fast people over the winter) I didn't need to worry about that. Even if I pretended it was a race, there wasn't any point in it...I was getting my ass kicked anyway. I needed to go at my max just to keep up. And, that may still be the case this year... I don't know. But, this year I want to make sure I do things to help out the slower riders...assuming there are any slower than me. ;-)
While I'm on the topic of VCC, JDRF, and all things cycling...we added a new bike to the family yesterday. It was Karin's birthday yesterday and I wanted to get her a new bike. So, I semi-surprised her by taking her to VCC to get fit up for a new bike. Needless to say, she was infinitely excited. MC, Ted, Aaron, and NGG (New Guy Greg) all helped to get the bike set up for her while we were there. So, there is a lovely new Cannondale in the stable. Now, Karin has a really nice rig to do errands, the occasional group ride, and even a triathlon over the summer. To me, that is really exciting. I really want to her to find a healthy hobby that makes her happy (alliteration much?).
Oh...and, just to stay on the topic of griping about the weather. Potential for snow in the weekend forecast. I heart global warming.
08 April 2008
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3 comments:
It's good that the JDRF ride was the best, most enjoyable ride for you. We are there for one reason to help JDRF. We train for that one ride and it is for my step-daughter and all of the other kids out there that go through this shit hole disease.
Here's the thing.....you have EVERY RIGHT to enjoy your rides! Now...if you feel compelled to "do the Team thing" and help others stay together - fine. That's a fine and noble gesture and one that usually comes back around in this big Circle-of-Karma thing that we all live in. But.....that feeling should come from within, not without. In other words..if that MC arsehole (and I'm still convinced that there is no "MC" and you made him up!)tries to guilt trip you into feeling bad on the best ride of your life......tell him to piss up a rope! That's what I'd do, at any rate.
Still I suspect that using your new-found strength to hold a ride together will be at least as fulfilling as going off the front...not that I have much experience in going of the front!
When in doubt as to what path to follow might I suggest that you do as I do? Ask yourself "W.W.J.J.D.?" (What Would John Jasker Do?) and proceed accordingly, secure in the belief that you have discovered the One True Way to determine the Path to Cycling Rightousness
Just an idea........
Perhaps I misrepresented my disappointment in the ride on Sunday. It was my most enjoyable ride to date...whatever guilt I felt/feel did not arrive until well after the ride.
I was disappointed because I rode without concern for anyone other than myself. That seems a bit...well...like an asshole really. And, I suppose that's bound to happen once in a while. Unfortunately, it didn't occur to me after the ride was over. And, that's not right...I ought to have realized it while I was riding. Duh.
As for WWJJD...that's probably pretty good advice. J2 seem to do a good job of doing the right thing. And, he makes it look easy too...which, frankly, annoys the hell out of me.
J2...if you're out there...I'm coming to get you this summer. (yeah, right).
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