Cycling and the meaning of life

[Shade_Wilder]

 

I am just back from my morning cycle; it was one of those days where the wind and rain were so powerful that it was like riding into a firehose. Yes, I probably should have stayed in bed, but I didn't cycle yesterday on account of the weather, so... not an option.

My early morning cycle is the time when I clear out my head and go into a 'Zen' mode; I am aware of my surroundings, traffic (if there is any), weather, potential Soi dogs, etc., but my thoughts wander elsewhere.

This morning I was about 15 KM from home when the rain/wind just exploded in ferocity; I was already wet, but ducked under someone's awning in front of their house. On a side note, I truly hope that the family inside didn't see me; I realized later that I hadn't turned off my bicycle lights and anyone inside would have seen a strange BWG (Big White Guy) standing on their front doorstep with flashing lights. Terrifying it they awakened by it... After waiting 5-10 minutes for the rain to ease up/stop, and it didn't, I decided "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!"

The good news is that the wind was (mostly) at my back, the bad was that within seconds I had discovered a new, higher meaning to the word "Wet". 

Three times in the last two years I have been waved over by women who work the roadside breakfast trade with chicken sate, fried rice, and other foods, and they each asked if I was married/had a girlfriend. I think it was Covid and the desire for a 'Candyman' in tough economic times, but I laughed uproariously each time. Others just grin as I go past, giving a nod of acknowledgement that we both are morning people, still others give a big wave and a smile. I know that I shouldn't, but when I see the monks on their morning rounds, I often shout a cheery "Morning!" to see if I can make them smile (and they often do). In other sections of my morning ride, I am away (at least superficially) from 'developed' areas and can breathe in the purity of jungle vegetation. 2-3 months ago, I saw a... 15 foot(?) snake on the road. Actually, I was speeding along, thought I saw a palm frond on the road, but as I sped by, I noticed it was a moving palm frond, so I stopped (at a distance; I ain't that stupid), looked back and realized what it was.

Put it all together and you get the reason why I love my mornings here. Exercise and the ensuing endorphins (Runner's High), the smiles of the locals, the pretty girls acting like mercenaries, but doing so with grace, charm and a smile, the sheer friendliness of people seeing me ( a regular) and welcoming me into their lives, albeit briefly, the lush green jungle and the animals therein, the Buddhist Monks on their rounds with their head down to practice humility but still having a quick laugh with a BWG, and so much more.

It's all just "Sanook" in the truest meaning of the word.

It is why I cycle in the early morning, and it is why I stay here. 

 

 

[Marble-eye]

You are an inspiration to us all Shade, mainly because you have the will power to get out of bed at that time of a morning and then go do a marathon. 

I'll go later on in the day when you can cook an egg on the tarmac and the reason behind this is the hotter it gets the more the dogs seem to be subdued and are usually hidden in the shade somewhere trying to keep cool, but that doesn't always work as only the other day 3 of the damn critters came running out of a an adjacent field with their teeth showing, but I bellowed at them, and I can bellow and it slowed them down enough for me to make my escape. 

But my milage is creeping up, did a 12 km ride the other day, don't laugh, that is my equivalence of climbing Everest at the moment. I have my sights and hopes set on a very difficult 18km ride set in the mountains near where we live, whether it gets off the ground is anyones guess. 

But well done you.

 

[Shade_Wilder]

21 minutes ago, Marble-eye said:

You are an inspiration to us all Shade, mainly because you have the will power to get out of bed at that time of a morning and then go do a marathon. 

I'll go later on in the day when you can cook an egg on the tarmac and the reason behind this is the hotter it gets the more the dogs seem to be subdued and are usually hidden in the shade somewhere trying to keep cool, but that doesn't always work as only the other day 3 of the damn critters came running out of a an adjacent field with their teeth showing, but I bellowed at them, and I can bellow and it slowed them down enough for me to make my escape. 

But my milage is creeping up, did a 12 km ride the other day, don't laugh, that is my equivalence of climbing Everest at the moment. I have my sights and hopes set on a very difficult 18km ride set in the mountains near where we live, whether it gets off the ground is anyones guess. 

But well done you.

Thanks for the kind words, ME; the only other time in my life that someone said I inspired them was an ex-girlfriend who said that I 'inspired' her to try a same-sex lifestyle for a while.

There is nothing remotely wrong or bad about a 12 KM ride; remember all the over-weight slugs flopped on their couches who couldn't even rise to get another beer from the kitchen. I think it is great to have a goal of an 18 KM ride in the mountains, but might I suggest a flat-ish 18-20 KM ride as an intermediate step? Put a few of those under the belt and then the mountainous trek will be a cake-walk.

I can't really explain it properly, but it is the awful weather that brings out the true joy of cycling for me. Yes, I ride daily and always enjoy it, but it is when the wind is howling, the rain thundering and the lightening blazing that I feel like an ancient Greek on a mountain top shaking his fist at the heavens in defiance and pride. Hmm... That kind of thing usually didn't end well, so I'll set my thoughts on another metaphor.

Anyone else cycle? Why do you do it? What kind of a ride do you do? Any adventures?

 

[BigHewer]

On 5/6/2022 at 11:31 AM, Shade_Wilder said:

Anyone else cycle? Why do you do it? What kind of a ride do you do? Any adventures?

I cycled 25km per work day every day from 2006 until 2017. Bought a house in 2017 right near a train station and my commuting pattern changed (for the worse). I still have my trusty Merida  Taiwanese-made mountain bike, though it sits dusty in my garage with flat tires. Need inspiration.

[KaptainRob]

On 5/6/2022 at 8:51 AM, Marble-eye said:

You are an inspiration to us all Shade

For cycling I trust, not the other stuff 

I love a long morning walk or cycle around our leafy area which is devoid of heavy traffic.  Rain hail or shine is ok but a full on storm can be dangerous as we get a lot of falling limbs, not too may snakes, the odd python is all.  I carry a sjambok.

Riding up and over the back of Patong .. Nanai Rd? I think, as you go south, I nearly ran over a snake one day ... gave me one hell of a fright. 

[Bluesofa]

14 minutes ago, BigHewer said:

I cycled 25km per work day every day from 2006 until 2017. Bought a house in 2017 right near a train station and my commuting pattern changed (for the worse). I still have my trusty Merida  Taiwanese-made mountain bike, though it sits dusty in my garage with flat tires. Need inspiration.

I cycle a 37km loop around Udon two or three time a week, dropping down from five or six times a week, now I'm an old bastard. I also have a Merida, I think they're great.

Apparently the Taiwanese founder of Merida was doing his degree in the US and got fed up of American bicycle shops reluctance to repair his Taiwanese bicycle. They all said the bicycles were rubbish and it was a waste of time repairing them.

That made him determined to produce a good quality bicycle. A lot of them are German specification, manufactured in Taiwan.

[Bluesofa]

11 minutes ago, KaptainRob said:

[snipped}
Riding up and over the back of Patong .. Nanai Rd? I think, as you go south, I nearly ran over a snake one day ... gave me one hell of a fright. 

I cycled over a snake once too.
I saw it coming out from the grass at the side of a minor road, just as a car was overtaking me, so I couldn't avoid the snake.
I cycled as fast as I could, just in case the snake wasn't dead, but very angry. I went for a good kilometre before I dared to slow down and look behind me.

[Marble-eye]

2 minutes ago, Bluesofa said:

I cycled over a snake once too.
I saw it coming out from the grass at the side of a minor road, just as a car was overtaking me, so I couldn't avoid the snake.
I cycled as fast as I could, just in case the snake wasn't dead, but very angry. I went for a good kilometre before I dared to slow down and look behind me.

Are you sure it was a snake and not a vindscreen viper.

[Pinetree]

I would rather hammer my balls with a  mallet than ride a bike, in any event,  the result is about the same.  It seems like the most boring and painful activity under the sun.   Good luck you cycling folk,  but all I feel when I see you out and about in 30 + degrees is profound pity. 

[WHITEOMORN]

What a wonderful post - Thank you. :)

[Marble-eye]

2 minutes ago, Pinetree said:

I would rather hammer my balls with a  mallet than ride a bike, in any event,  the result is about the same.  It seems like the most boring and painful activity under the sun.   Good luck you cycling folk,  but all I feel when I see you out and about in 30 + degrees is profound pity. 

God you must have been a laugh a minute in the RAF. 'Bit hot for the boys to be out exercising today Staff Sergeant, give them a rubber mallet a piece and let them enjoy theirselves, don't you know, make sure their butler has tea and biscuits ready when they've finished pounding their posts, chocs away.'

[Shade_Wilder]

1 hour ago, BigHewer said:

Snip-

Need inspiration.

Snip

if you don't get back on your bike...

... this is your future.

Inspired yet?

 

[Bluesofa]

22 minutes ago, Pinetree said:

I would rather hammer my balls with a  mallet than ride a bike, in any event,  the result is about the same.  It seems like the most boring and painful activity under the sun.   Good luck you cycling folk,  but all I feel when I see you out and about in 30 + degrees is profound pity. 

I love the heat, why would I live here if I didn't?
For me, anything below 20C is freezing, cycling at 30C is great.
If hammering your balls with a mallet is the same for you as cycling, that must be why I'm a eunuch.

[Bluesofa]

2 minutes ago, Shade_Wilder said:

if you don't get back on your bike...

... this is your future.

Inspired yet?

Look at the norks on that!

[Bluesofa]

40 minutes ago, Marble-eye said:

Are you sure it was a snake and not a vindscreen viper.

As one snake said the other snake, "It's a good job I'm not poisonous, I've just bit my tongue."

[Khunmark]

I’ve been in disjointed relationship with Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai for a number of years. I plan to marry her later this year when I retire in Thailand. I feel some empathy for my bicycle, a long suffering Bianchi which has served me faithfully over the years. If bicycles enjoyed the same rights humans do, I’m pretty certain I’d be up on some serious abuse charges.

[Volker]

I also like to ride my roadbike here in Thailand, every other day and 2 to 4 hours, depending on mojo and heat. Biking is like meditation, it cleans mind and soul. The area where I live is completely flat and has very little traffic on the road. People are friendly, there is always a place to have a soup or a coke on the roadside and I enjoy the landscape. Plus it helps me keep my weight since the food here is far too good. Life can be good!

[Bluesofa]

1 hour ago, Volker said:

I also like to ride my roadbike here in Thailand, every other day and 2 to 4 hours, depending on mojo and heat. Biking is like meditation, it cleans mind and soul. The area where I live is completely flat and has very little traffic on the road. People are friendly, there is always a place to have a soup or a coke on the roadside and I enjoy the landscape. Plus it helps me keep my weight since the food here is far too good. Life can be good!

Between two and four hours. You're dedicated to it.
I usually do the same boring route of 37km two or three times a week. Takes me one hour 45 minutes-ish.

I long to do a more serious trip, but finances don't allow me at the moment.

I agree with what you said about cycling clearing the mind. For me, I do find that my mind having been cleared, it then wanders on to many other vague subjects.