TITLE: Transitions
AUTHOR: Eugene Wallingford
DATE: May 18, 2013 12:52 PM
DESC:
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BODY:
I bought a new bike this week, a refurbished 1989 Schwinn Le Tour:
I've been riding Le Tours for thirty years, even before they hit
their stride as a great bike. Last September, I had an unexpected
encounter with a fallen tree on the bike trail and bent the frame
on my latest model, circa 1985. I was glad to find another in
such fine condition. It has a lighter, sleeker body than my older
model, and the guy who refurbished it installed nicer accessories
than I'm used to.
After many months outdoors on foot and indoors on an exercise bike,
I was psyched to get out on the road. For my first ride, I chose
an old friend,
a scenic 12-mile route north of town that I used to run regularly,
but which I hadn't been on for two and a half years. The ride
brought a mix of sensations: newness, nostalgia, and a familiar
burn in my legs. A good ride to christen my new old bike and my
new old legs.
2011 was
the year of surgery.
2012 was the year of rehabilitation and recovery. I spent a lot
of time getting my right knee and quadriceps back into a shape
that supports a normal life. My mind, too.
2013 is the year in which I become a cyclist -- that is, if I am
ever to become a cyclist in a way that resembles the way I used
to be a runner. It's time.
I have a lot to learn, and re-learn. Some things are relatively
big, such as how to train for long rides and how to pace myself
in the midst of training. Others are as simple as how to dress
in different weather conditions. This kind of learning is part
of the fun for me.
The marathoner lying dormant within me is already setting goals,
deep in the recesses of my mind... maybe a trip down
the Cedar Valley Nature Trail
to Cedar Rapids. I have a lot of work to do before I'm ready
for such an ambitious ride. That's part of the fun for me, too.
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