Why we do it



ant evans

ant evans

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Jan 23, 2003
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Just ridden home late from work. I saw the little ice crystals forming on the ground, reflected in my headlights, before I heard them crunching under my tyres. My legs, insides of elbows, and teeth hurt from the cold. I followed a fox along the river Taff for a little while, negotiated a stile, and was doing about 15kph through a cul de sac, thinking how I would post a message on the forum saying This is why I do it, when I heard a scraping noise, then found I was bouncing on my ****. So I lay in the ice for a little while, thinking about what I had learnt.

Got back on the road and gave it some stick. By the time I got home I was toasty and warm.

Physics lessons, wildlife, slapstick humour, exercise, solitude, speed, twice a day, for free, for life. What more can you ask for.
 
Originally posted by ant evans

Physics lessons, wildlife, slapstick humour, exercise, solitude, speed, twice a day, for free, for life. What more can you ask for.
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I like that saying, its so true!
 
I love the way you have captured at least for me what bicycle commuting is all about, when it's good, which is most of the time. There is another element to consider: living a highly civilized life most of us do not embrace risk, physical risk in our daily lives anymore. Sure some of us go out on the weekend and bungee jump or ski among other pastimes. but that's just what they are, pastimes. Commuting on a 2 wheeler among 2 ton behemoths which you may imagine secretly wish you ill, in the cold or rrain or on ice, in the dark, certainly gets the adrenalin rushing. Commuting by bicycle is risk taking of the physical kind that done on a daily or twice daily basis can be the animal antidote for living in an overly ordered orderly world.

No, I don't have a death wish. On the contrary.
Gene
 
I wish falling off happened slower to I could enjoy it for longer.

Can it be good to be having this much fun? Do car drivers suffer so that we can ride free?

Where do their souls go when they get to work?
 
I do it because it makes me smile.

My favorite moment was -60 degree F. windchill with below zero absolute, I was riding along, and I got so cold I thought how funny it would be if I stopped in the middle of an intersection and began singing that Nelly song "I'm getting so hot in here" and stripping. I just started laughing while waiting for the light and my tears froze on my balaclava and life was good.

So many good moments,

Jacob
 
I'm glad I don't live where you live..-60 degrees..where are you? the North pole?..Melbourne?

Having said that, I'd probably ride there too. The rain doesn't stop me, (and it can rain pretty seriously in Sydney) so I don't think the cold would.

I lost the back wheel from under me once, on moss growing between bricks...not quite the same.
 
Well, the ride to work for me is a scarry adreinaline rush, the ride home however is what makes it worth it.......seeing all those ppl in bumber to bumber as I sail past them.......ha ha ha ha......
 
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