Recumbent riders are sometimes referred to as “Bent Riders”. As someone who took up bike riding in July of 2009 at the age of 52 I could not resist the Bent Out Of Shape Rider tag line for my blog. In the beginning I was simply the Out of Shape Rider, but after riding my first 1,000 miles and then signing up for two state wide bike trips this summer, I suspect Bent Out of Shape Rider is now more appropriate. As When I tell the family I’m going for a short ride, returning home six hours and 45 miles later, yeah, I’m sure there are some that consider me a little bent out of shape.
If you have not read Lance Armstrong’s book, “It’s Not About The Bike”, you should. For me, it’s also not about the bike, it’s about a state of being. It’s about getting in touch with your mind and body to achieve great things. After I started riding in July of 2009, riding five miles down our trail and five miles back was achieving that greatness. Every month I achieve new milestones in both distance and feet climbed during my rides, and reaching 1000 miles for a month is now easily reachable. And it does not hurt that all this exercise has me in the best fitness condition of my entire life. The added bonus to this all, and you really don’t realize it until you achieve the kind of miles a week I do, is this type of conditioning is the fountain of youth. I feel 25 again and have a stamina for physical activities long lost. It’s a wonderful feeling.
I created this blog as a place for friends and family to follow my riding adventures, along with a photographic diary. It should also provide a source of information for those considering recumbent bicycles or trikes.
I hope you enjoy my blog and my musings. Feel free to post your comments! And for those you who have provide your support and encouragement, Thank You! It really means a lot and gives me the willpower to get back on the bike when I am tired and sore on those state wide bike trips.