[COLOR= #0000ff]Hey, Y'all.[/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]It's 2 a.m., I can't sleep, and here I sit, thinking of the ways that biking has changed my life since August 11 of this year, when I took my first bike ride in over 48 years. I read the post Huskey bumped up about the biker known on these threads as boudreaux, who was killed by a teen that was driving and texting. It made me unexpectedly sad, disproportionately so I think for a person whom I've never met, from whom I've never even read any posts. And as I wondered why, I realized that it was because I feel like part of a community, here. I've been posting for only about a month now, and in that time I've come to think of the people on these threads -- evidently even if I've never heard of them or read anything they posted -- as community, as family. I wanted to say thank you for that. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/redface.gif[/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]Biking has also changed my life for the better, health-wise. I've lost 38 pounds now, more inches than I can measure, and everything in my closet is too big. Way too big -- as in, this evening I went to the bathroom in a hurry and pulled down my jeans -- without unbuttoning them or unzipping them, without even realizing it until I had done it. These are jeans that I had tried on in June, and literally couldn't get close to zipping, much less buttoned. And they just fell to my feet. I have dresses that I had bought that were too small, that I was saving to get into when I lost weight (women do such things, guys). Suddenly they're too big, and I've never worn them yet! It's a lovely problem to have. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif I went to the doctor a couple weeks ago, and my blood pressure was lower than it has been in years, was actually a little below normal -- and this was the day before a major surgery I was nervous about. I actually cried when I got on the scales this morning and had lost more weight, because although I still have 85 pounds I want to lose, for the first time in my adult life I really believe that I can DO it, that biking has not just helped me spend more calories but has changed me in some fundamental way that is enabling me to feel empowered and to have the initiative to continue healthy eaitng, when on countless other diets for years, by this time I would have given in to the cravings and stopped losing. [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]It has helped my relationship with my husband in ways I would never have anticipated. Obviously, my getting shapelier is a good thing in terms of intimacy, but that's not even close to what I'm talking about. Suddenly we have something in common besides kids and pets and everyday life. He bikes to and from work each day, a total of 15 miles, and for several years has gone on long rides on the weekends without me -- by necessity, because I could never have kept up with him. Now we're going for bike rides in the evening when he gets home, and someday soon I'll GO on one of the long weekend rides with him. Biking gives us something to talk about, to communicate about besides bills and aches and pains of getting old and the frustrations of life in general. I ask him the same questions I've pestered you with on here (but don't let him know I've already asked, lol), and I think it makes him feel good to be able to teach me something. I get his advice on handling my bike and easy repairs and which upcoming bike purchase to make, and we discuss easy bike tours we'd like to take when I'm able. And he's so happy about what I'm doing that this man, this FRUGAL Hubby who for years never even bought me cards or presents on holidays because he was such a tightwad, this same man is willing to part with several hundred dollars in cash to buy me a decent bike, and to pay for my upcoming beginner's tour next June without complaint! Unbelievable. (Who are you, and I don't CARE what you've done with Frugal Hubby, lol!) Biking literally has improved my marriage! [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]It has enabled me to be a source of support to my daughter, who also has a weight problem, to encourage her to continue to bike to work and to go on bike rides with us when she comes weekly to visit, and to eat wisely to fuel the biker inside. My relationship with my daughter-in-law can be at times strained. We don't argue, but we're not real comfortable with each other yet -- until I invited her on a bike ride last month when they come from San Rafael to visit -- and we had a WONDERFUL time together on our ride. It was the first time I had felt that we truly bonded.[/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]I think the only ones who aren't thrilled with my bike-riding is my doggies, because they're too little to run alongside my bike, and too big to carry on it. So they're peeved that I'm not glued to my recliner every afternoon, holding them all day, poor babies. They'll have to get over it. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/rolleyes.gif[/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]I'm sorry this has been so long -- blame it on the bronchitis meds, lol -- but I'm just realizing that cycling is changing my life, changing ME, in very profound ways. And you've all had a hand in helping me along the way.[/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]Just wanted to say Thanks. Bunches. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/tongue.gif OH -- And, how has it changed yours??? [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]Sierra[/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]It's 2 a.m., I can't sleep, and here I sit, thinking of the ways that biking has changed my life since August 11 of this year, when I took my first bike ride in over 48 years. I read the post Huskey bumped up about the biker known on these threads as boudreaux, who was killed by a teen that was driving and texting. It made me unexpectedly sad, disproportionately so I think for a person whom I've never met, from whom I've never even read any posts. And as I wondered why, I realized that it was because I feel like part of a community, here. I've been posting for only about a month now, and in that time I've come to think of the people on these threads -- evidently even if I've never heard of them or read anything they posted -- as community, as family. I wanted to say thank you for that. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/redface.gif[/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]Biking has also changed my life for the better, health-wise. I've lost 38 pounds now, more inches than I can measure, and everything in my closet is too big. Way too big -- as in, this evening I went to the bathroom in a hurry and pulled down my jeans -- without unbuttoning them or unzipping them, without even realizing it until I had done it. These are jeans that I had tried on in June, and literally couldn't get close to zipping, much less buttoned. And they just fell to my feet. I have dresses that I had bought that were too small, that I was saving to get into when I lost weight (women do such things, guys). Suddenly they're too big, and I've never worn them yet! It's a lovely problem to have. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif I went to the doctor a couple weeks ago, and my blood pressure was lower than it has been in years, was actually a little below normal -- and this was the day before a major surgery I was nervous about. I actually cried when I got on the scales this morning and had lost more weight, because although I still have 85 pounds I want to lose, for the first time in my adult life I really believe that I can DO it, that biking has not just helped me spend more calories but has changed me in some fundamental way that is enabling me to feel empowered and to have the initiative to continue healthy eaitng, when on countless other diets for years, by this time I would have given in to the cravings and stopped losing. [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]It has helped my relationship with my husband in ways I would never have anticipated. Obviously, my getting shapelier is a good thing in terms of intimacy, but that's not even close to what I'm talking about. Suddenly we have something in common besides kids and pets and everyday life. He bikes to and from work each day, a total of 15 miles, and for several years has gone on long rides on the weekends without me -- by necessity, because I could never have kept up with him. Now we're going for bike rides in the evening when he gets home, and someday soon I'll GO on one of the long weekend rides with him. Biking gives us something to talk about, to communicate about besides bills and aches and pains of getting old and the frustrations of life in general. I ask him the same questions I've pestered you with on here (but don't let him know I've already asked, lol), and I think it makes him feel good to be able to teach me something. I get his advice on handling my bike and easy repairs and which upcoming bike purchase to make, and we discuss easy bike tours we'd like to take when I'm able. And he's so happy about what I'm doing that this man, this FRUGAL Hubby who for years never even bought me cards or presents on holidays because he was such a tightwad, this same man is willing to part with several hundred dollars in cash to buy me a decent bike, and to pay for my upcoming beginner's tour next June without complaint! Unbelievable. (Who are you, and I don't CARE what you've done with Frugal Hubby, lol!) Biking literally has improved my marriage! [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]It has enabled me to be a source of support to my daughter, who also has a weight problem, to encourage her to continue to bike to work and to go on bike rides with us when she comes weekly to visit, and to eat wisely to fuel the biker inside. My relationship with my daughter-in-law can be at times strained. We don't argue, but we're not real comfortable with each other yet -- until I invited her on a bike ride last month when they come from San Rafael to visit -- and we had a WONDERFUL time together on our ride. It was the first time I had felt that we truly bonded.[/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]I think the only ones who aren't thrilled with my bike-riding is my doggies, because they're too little to run alongside my bike, and too big to carry on it. So they're peeved that I'm not glued to my recliner every afternoon, holding them all day, poor babies. They'll have to get over it. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/rolleyes.gif[/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]I'm sorry this has been so long -- blame it on the bronchitis meds, lol -- but I'm just realizing that cycling is changing my life, changing ME, in very profound ways. And you've all had a hand in helping me along the way.[/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]Just wanted to say Thanks. Bunches. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/tongue.gif OH -- And, how has it changed yours??? [/COLOR]
[COLOR= #0000ff]Sierra[/COLOR]
