Why a Bicycle Blog Now

Almost two years ago I started bicycling again at age 48 after about a 15 year layoff. I was not a serious bicyclist back in the old days, intermittently ramping up to periods when I would ride for 30 minutes to an hour several days a week. These periods would last for a few months and then a busy life would pull me away for six months to a year. Somehow as I turned 48 it clicked that the "some day I will really get back into staying fit" would never happen unless I just did it and somehow just handled all the things that would pull me away from it. I started back into bicycling by replicating the type of riding I had done earlier in my life, with rides of 50 to 55 minutes being the norm. Last summer it became time to get moving on another "some day", the desire to do some long distance rides and eventually do multiple day rides across substantial portions of the country. After hearing advice from a few friends, I started doing some research on what it would take to become an endurance bicyclist. I learned a fair amount from books, the internet and other bicyclist and put this knowledge to work leading up to my first century ride, the 2008 Seagull Century that took place on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in early October.

After riding in the Seagull Century I wrote a description of the ride and emailed it out to a number of old friends. I wanted them to hear about what I was up to. I also had the hidden agenda of wanting to see them get into bicycling and reap the benefits I was experiencing due to bicycling. I was amazed at the response from my old friends. I had tapped into a pent-up desire that many of them had, a desire to do something about their health and fitness. What was amazing was that not only did they express interest in what I did, but several of them sprang into action and began bicycling too.

Now we finally get to the point of why I am writing this blog. I found that my emails about my experiences inspired at least a few people to change their lives and start getting in shape by bicycling. It would be great to see more people getting in shape and experiencing other benefits I have experienced: a lower level of stress; renewed interactions with old friends; and new friendships with others who share a passion for bicycling. I also have some knowledge to share related to what it takes to go from knowing nearly nothing about bicycling to knowing enough to feel comfortable in selecting equipment and establishing a training program. I will also use this blog as a means of drumming up support for various bicycling related things I care about, such as charity rides I am participating in. Last but not least, I am hoping for a lively interaction with those who read the blog. I also look forward to posts from guest bloggers whom I will invite to contribute.