Freedoms

I love riding bikes.  I love the feeling that a bike can elicit.  I come home after work grab a bike off the wall and hit the street, the trails or both.  I've got the tools of the trade, I'm fortunate to have a "quiver".  I have a bike to suit my fancy, and even though I have a plethora, I always want more.  N+1 is life.

Yesterday was 11.11.11.  Pretty cool.  But.  More importantly it was Veteran's Day.  A day to honor the people who serve/served our country (that means you and me).  There are these people out there that took an oath to protect us, with their lives if necessary.  I ask myself why?  Why would someone do this?  What type of person does this?  And, why would they do it for me?  I made a choice to not serve my country, but I respect the choices our men and women in the military have made...for me.  To protect me, to give me my freedoms.  At any cost.

This takes a different breed of person.  A breed above all else.  It goes against everything we are taught.  Stay away from danger, be safe, don't do that you will get hurt, but yet these people run into the heart of danger without self, but with purpose.  They have been doing it for years and years, and we the non-militarized society reap the benefits. 

I take it for granted that I can come home, jump on my bike and go anywhere I want.  I can dress the way I like, I can say what I want, I can own land, I am free.  I can never say "Thank You" enough for the freedoms that I enjoy.  This great country was built on the backs of our military, our government came from the military, our expansion came from the military, our safety comes from the military.

To those that came before and those that will follow,
Thank You.

Freedom is not Free

Now is good

It's getting to be that time again, no not another reference to fall, but time for me to post some meaningless words put together to waste your time.  So I've been forced off the bike and have been riding the couch for the last several days and I'm about to go crazy.  I'm sure my fitness has headed South for the winter, oh great!

Ok, screw fitness I just want to ride my bike.  Even though I'm racing CX, I really do not care about fitness this time of year.  I make my annual transition to dirt and really enjoy riding the bike.  CX is just a reason to get out, hang out, and ride with friends. Plus getting to enjoy a post ride/race man soda is always a favorite of mine. Or two.  CX for me is also a time to race without purpose, not worrying about doing well, or feeling bad when I can't help out a teammate win. 

Just Ride.  There is nothing better.  It is so basic, the freedom of pedaling a bike making your own locomotion.  It's the purity of being a living breathing machine.  I can't get enough of that flying feeling, railing a corner or out of the saddle sprinting.  When you ride for the ride's sake you can turn off the "have to" and turn on the "want to".  This time of year is I don't want to have to ride, I want to want to ride.