The Extreme Sport of Life

The first rays of the new day washed over the landscape and filled the cracks between my blinds. This was the day when I turned the bicycle training up a notch. My most ambitious ride with my new bicycle “Boba” was planned. I looked at the clock, just after five… I decided… it was really early and was going back to bed on my day off.

Take two… it was a clear late morning, the air crisp yet warming nicely… I got the bicycle downstairs and out the door a little before noon. The ride I had planned was not only ambitious in miles, but also in difficulty as it was mapped along the hilly roads near the lake. About a mile in or so I realized I forgot to attach my speedometer so I could never “officially” clock the miles of the day. Speaking of speed, two interesting speed related things happened. The first is a gut check going down a hill without using my brakes. I can not say if it was courage or temptation of fate yet I remain unscathed thus I lean to the former.

I wildly got clocked by the police radar at 15 miles an hour. The police near my home have these machines they set up in different places around town from time to time to remind people to think about how fast they are driving. I rounded a corner and saw one ahead and couldn’t resist peddling for all I was worth to see if I could get the machine to pop up a number… it started at 13 and crept to 15mph before I flew by.

I’m starting to get concerned that I may be infected by the “bicycle geek” virus. Slowly I’ve started to get a tiny mirror on my helmet, those half gloves, and multiple water bottles to choose from as well as pannier bags on order. Someone feel free to slap me if I get one of those pointy helmets and glossy synthetic body suits!!!

As seen in the picture I made it all the way to Weirs Beach (about 6 miles or so from my house one way) I had enjoyed sitting on the benches at the beach for a bit and started the ride home. (Insert ominous music) I got about a third the way home and My bike aply named “Boba” after Boba Fett is proving it’s danger to myself and everyone around it by freaky chaos. The gooseneck on the handlebars loosened up and I had to call out for help. I didn’t dar ride it when the handlebars got sloppy. This is the second time I’ve had to be “rescued” by my kind nehbor who I have before mentioned about borrowing all her cookware for my veggie eating experiments. (If you’re following along from posts before she didn’t forget me owing her the paring knife back… If this keeps up I‘m going to have to break down and buy my own kitchen utensils!!!)
Anyhue, the bicycle shop is now literally on speed dial on my cell phone. I think I need to open a running account with them… this time I left with a nifty gadget that looks like a swiss army knife but has lots of bicycle tools in it that I can tighen up the handle bars on the go, or other minor stuff… when needed. It’s ironic that the old bicycle “blue” that costs a third of the new one never gave me any grief ever while this one is so finicky.

I’ve mentioned Volleyball before. The games I play are intense. Many people wear knee pads as they end up sliding across the floor in games. I usually go home with bloody knees myself. If anyone tells you that a 300 pound plus guy can’t be active don’t you believe them!!! But the reason I mention the games is I’d like to ask prayers for a gentleman named “George” who dove for a ball and… well… he didn’t get up so well at all. The poor guy may have just really twisted his ankle or he may have done something a bit more serious. He had to be escorted off the court and ankle iced. I’ve said a prayer for you buddy! Hope your recovering well.

We do sort of play it really hard. One of my team mates actually asked him to borrow his knee pads after he got out of the game. Ouch extended… a bit cold? I couldn’t help but think of him as some old car that the team had decided to strip for parts. It wasn’t my idea honest… but I have to admit wanting to get back playing after a few minutes.

At Foolsfitness life itself is an “extreme” sport!- Alan