Friday, April 09, 2010

Passion and Jealousy


Maybe I am too pragmatic in my approach to this blog. I do enjoy the near poetry that some use in the bike blog-o-sphere, but I am no poet. Either way, I need to put more in here that is not equipement or race related....

This morning as I was riding in to work, I had a small revelation that each year I find a new aspect of cycling that drives my passion for it. I didn't start riding only to race, and I need to remind myself sometimes that I still don't.
This year, my passion has been refuel with commuting. I commuted some in the past when it was convenient but in recent months that has changed. To use a cliche, variety is the spice of life: since last fall, I have pedaled to work on 4 different bikes, 6 different wheelsets, using at least 10 different routes, on surfaces of ice, snow, sand, dirt, and pavement, with round trip times ranging from 1.5-4.5 hours, and in conditions ranging from freezing rain and blizzards (when schools were closed) to floods to sunny beautiful days like today.
For me, there is no more refreshing liberating mode of transportation than a bicycle. Seeing others commuting on bike when I do drive to work, which is require on the 2-3 mornings a week I play hockey, evokes feelings of jealousy.
What can I say? I love to ride my bike.

Cheers

4 comments:

Charly Tri said...

Brendan, a few things.
-You need to update your picture of your son on your desk.
-Your commuter bike looks heavy.
-Route the front brake line inside the fork leg, not outside. You could catch it on a pedestrian.
-The Trek racing coop sounds like an organic food store. Has there been any thoughts to branching out?
-I totally copied the white board image just in case your competitor calls.
-How many squirts of Drakker are you using to cover the smell of the locker room set up you have?



-There is a rumor that you were scoping out Eastwood park on Sunday and it may have scared you off from racing the Sandwich. Say it ain't so.

paul said...

I feel for the person who gets that cubicle after 5 years of that stuff dripping on the carpet.

Brendan said...

I have had a few days (especially this winter) where my cube smelled a bit like a locker room=) The dude next to me has gas though so I don't have to worry about anything=)

Charly,
- I like that picture...he was less trouble then=)
- my bike is heavy compared to a road bike
- "Trek Team" was just to boring; they wanted to spice it up
- The info on the white board is priceless. Be sure you get a lot for it.
- I like the smell. I am more comfortable working in my personal locker room than some sterile cube.
- I was out at Eastwood...not sure how you found out=) Scared? Maybe. Gonna race? Maybe, but probably not. Will your mother love you any more after throwing a race on here day?

Charly Tri said...

I saw on at http://www.sandwich50.blogspot.com/ you will not be racing the Sandwich 50. We here in Rochester want you to know we pray for a your speedy return.