Why we (?) ride.

Today I went for a ride with a good friend, a long time friend. We go back a long time, but as happens with long time friends, sometimes you're closer and sometimes you're farther apart in your lives. This friend had been into cycling a long time ago, but had fallen away from it for reasons we're all familiar with: work, family, kids, soccer practices, especially that work thing. A few years ago we re-connected and he decided to throw his leg over a saddle again and get back at it.

We've both been busy with all those things listed above, so it's been a long minute since we've gotten together for a beer, never mind a ride, so we had plenty to chat about: again, all those things that get in the way of riding, ironically. Mixed in were the typical early season grumblings about how darn cold it was (Spring seriously needs to hit for real), how he was feeling the beers he had last night, getting back to fighting weight, and so on. But about half way through the ride things got real.

It was my friend's second time out on the road this year, heck since last fall basically, and he started expressing how good it felt to be out on the pedals again. I'm paraphrasing here, but essentially he said something along these lines: it feels like something is missing in life when I'm not biking regularly, but I can't exactly pin down what it is. And when I get back on a bike, I realize that's exactly it, that I need to be out on a bike.

Thoreau himself couldn't simplify the sentiment any better.

I know what you're thinking, something along the lines that it sounds like a Hallmark card moment, or a Lifetime movie turning point, but the truth is I think for many of you/us, it drills down to the core of our love affair with the bike. Without it, something seems to be missing.

Spring will eventually get here, I promise, regardless of the possible snowstorm later this week. For those of you who have let all those life distractors come between you and your bike, try and reconnect with it over the next month. Maybe you'll realize that you were missing something in life as well. Need a partner to encourage you and help make those first few miles roll a little less painfully? Drop me a line.

Why do you ride?