[RETROROCKS]

So with the new year almost here, I find myself being a bit reflective of this past year and beyond.
Im thinking about all my blessings, and all my challenges. Some are the typical daily stuff, and others are things that will be with me the rest of my life.
I have the struggles that we all share, bills, kids, kids bills (LOL) some health issues, some minor some not.
Ive lost a home, a business,. and a marriage in the course of 3 years.
Sometimes things linger in the brain, and we tend to let them marinate, and they become heavier than they need to be.
I guess its all just life,, some of the good, mixed with some of the bad, its a delicate balance walking the edge of that knife.
But through all the life.. Ive always had the bike.
I remember being young and riding away to parts unknown and loved it.
I cant really do that now, but I can still ride!!
SO IS IT JUST ME ?? I get on that bike and hit the trail, all of the LIFE stuff fades away, its just me and the trail!
Sometimes Im really hammering, and some times just taking a chill ride.
Either way its just me and the ride,, everything else just fades away! Even when the rides over, the feeling still lasts in my head.
So no matter what happens in my life, the bike is there, and I dont need to drink, or pop a pill, or run away and hide.
All I need is one more ride!!

PEACE TO YOU ALL IN THIS NEW COMING YEAR..... RIDE ON

 

[natas1321]

these days I prefer coffee over beer and bourbon, riding over anything and everything else and the reason I don't drink much or anything any longer as I don't want to miss a day of riding because I feel like crap. I don't get to ride as much as I would like, but I am able to get out 4-5 times a week, down 1-2 rides a week from last year but still enough to keep me sane. As long as I get my 12-15 hours of riding each week I seem to be in a better place and hope to improve this next year. I've been thinking of actually taking a year or two off from working and just focus on riding, but....time will tell.

 

[FortOrdMTB]

So with the new year almost here I find myself being a bit reflective of this past year and beyond.
thinking about all my blessings and all my challenges, some are the typical daily stuff, and some are things that will be with me the rest of my life.
I have the struggles that we all share bills, kids, kids bills (LOL) some health issues, some minor some not.
Ive lost a home a business,. and a marriage in the course of 3 years.
Sometimes things linger in the brain and we tend to let them marinate, and they tend to become heavier than they need to be.
I guess its all just life,, some of the good mixed with some of the bad, its a delicate balance walking the edge of that knife.
but through all the life.. ive always had the bike.
I remember being young and riding away to parts unknown and loved it.
I cant really do that now, but I can still ride!!
SO IS IT JUST ME ?? when I get on that bike and hit that trail all of the LIFE stuff fades away, its just me and the trail!
sometimes Im really hammering, and some times just taking a chill ride.
Either way its just me and the ride,, everything else just fades away, and even when the rides over the feeling still lasts in my head.
that no matter what happens in my life that bikes there and I dont need to drink or pop a pill or run away and hide.
All I need is one more ride !!!

PEACE TO YOU ALL IN THIS NEW COMING YEAR RIDE ON

You’re not alone in this. The freedom being out out on the trails is something hard to explain & best experienced.

Ride on!

 

[milehi]

Pedal those concerns away. Get your passport stamped and meet interesting people you can hardly understand.

 

[Cary]

No it is not just you. I have been watching a lot of stuff by Dr. Lustig of UCSF. He started with how our society’s increase sugar intake has had a horrible effect on us physically. He then found mental connections. He has since moved on to pleasure v happiness and how one is dopamine, which is a reward and you can buy (drugs, sugar, sex), the other serotonin which makes you content, which can only be created by the body and is increased by things like exercise, personal interaction, fresh foods. His research and conclusions are interesting (and come out of a well respected university).

The 4Cs | Robert Lustig Website

robertlustig.com

 

[teleken]

It's Endorphins instead of the Runner's High for us it's the Bicycle High. No matter how nice an area I hike in it cannot match the feeling after a ride even a bike path ride.
I think a bicycle is a machine that creates a special connection to us & lets us propel beyond what's possible on two feet. It's as near to flying without leaving the ground (well sometimes we leave the ground).

 

[834905]

Exercise in general is therapeutic. I have to spent a lot of time in the saddle or I start slipping into madness. The best way I came up with to describe it, is if I go 3 days or more without riding I start to feel like I’m trapped in a small dark room with all of my problems. When I’m out riding those problems are still there, but they’re a mile off in the distance flapping their arms trying to get my attention, but they can’t.

Ride a lot, eat healthy and drink very sparingly is the best formula I’ve found.

 

[CLDSDL43]

Riding (mountain biking) is what heals, de-stress' and brings me back to where I need to be. I had some rough years with marriage, health, job and didn't get on the bike nearly enough at the time. Raising 2 daughters kept me grounded then. Things have gotten much better over last 5 yrs and biking is bike in routine. As a previous post said it also keeps me from being "joe sixpack". Hate the feeling on a ride the day after too much intake. Work becomes a grind, time to hit the trails!
So, it's definitely not just you.
Peace and Happy New Year 🚲

 

[mike_kelly]

There is nothing my wife and I would rather do then ride bikes together. We have been doing it for nearly 50 years. It is not a sport or a pastime but a way of life for us. Gravel, Road, MTB, Tour, small country roads, singletrack. US, Germany, Italy, Austria, Greece, Ireland, England, Scotland, France, Canada everywhere and anywhere.

I have a hard time walking these days but I can still ride just fine. When riding there is no past, no future just now.

 

[stripes]

Riding is fun. Love this thread.

 

[plummet]

The point where everything melts away and all you are focused on is now is a mental state called flow.

The goal is to achieve flow on a regular basis. I to achieve flow whilst riding. It is not limited to mountain biking. It can be achieved with any enjoyable activity you do.

For a scientific reasoning of flow, watch this. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: Flow, the secret to happiness | TED Talk

 

[WHALENARD]

Pedal those concerns away. Get your passport stamped and meet interesting people you can hardly understand.

I understand most of your stuff.

Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk

 

[mike_kelly]

The point where everything melts away and all you are focused on is now is a mental state called flow.

The goal is to achieve flow on a regular basis. I to achieve flow whilst riding. It is not limited to mountain biking. It can be achieved with any enjoyable activity you do.

For a scientific reasoning of flow, watch this. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: Flow, the secret to happiness | TED Talk

Some call it Zen.

 

[SteveJewels]

Riding is, or can be, a form of meditation. When I meditate the 'life stuff' is reduced in importance.

 

[RETROROCKS]

There is nothing my wife and I would rather do then ride bikes together. We have been doing it for nearly 50 years. It is not a sport or a pastime but a way of life for us. Gravel, Road, MTB, Tour, small country roads, singletrack. US, Germany, Italy, Austria, Greece, Ireland, England, Scotland, France, Canada everywhere and anywhere.

I have a hard time walking these days but I can still ride just fine. When riding there is no past, no future just now.

Wow you really found a keeper congrats!!

 

[mike_kelly]

and I am thankful everyday. Cycling, kayaking, backpacking, rock climbing, an award winning fine art photographer, she does it all. It is sooo much better to have someone to share your passions with.

 

[93studiolite]

I hate to revive an old thread, but I had one of these types of moments yesterday. I had a pretty stressful day and work and didn't get go on my lunch ride. I was pretty stressed out, my head hurt and I was just in a general bad mood by the time my wife made it home. After dinner I asked if she minded if I did a quick ride, and of course she didn't. I didn't get to do along ride just 2.5 miles, but man did I come home in a much better mood.

I work from home a lot because they still haven't sent us back to the office yet and I've been using my lunch break as a time to go ride and take a break from work and just feeling stuck at home. Since the first of the year I've been riding 2-4 days a week and its odd to me how much I almost "need" to go for a ride now. I guess it's just the since of adventure and freedom we sometimes desire.

 

[RETROROCKS]

Thanks for reminding me, its not just me!!

 

[cookieMonster]

I’m envious of you guys who can ride regularly all year round. I so, SO need riding for my mental health. I do ride all winter, but it’s a labor of love. There are few trails open to bikes ( because somehow it screws up the XC skiing — which is strongly prioritized by our land managers). Anyway, I get by, but it barely does it for me. I’m super depressed right now. Winter has been here for 5 months now and it’s ramping up…

 

[CLDSDL43]

I’m envious of you guys who can ride regularly all year round. I so, SO need riding for my mental health. I do ride all winter, but it’s a labor of love. There are few trails open to bikes ( because somehow it screws up the XC skiing — which is strongly prioritized by our land managers). Anyway, I get by, but it barely does it for me. I’m super depressed right now. Winter has been here for 5 months now and it’s ramping up…

This too shall pass.