A good day is just a bike ride away 😊
For me, riding a bike is my version of mindfulness, and I’m hooked. The chance to hang out with a bunch of like-minded people, exploring the world and getting fit at the same time just keeps me coming back for more. Whether it’s road riding, mountain biking, time trialling against the clock, or just cruising, I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad bike ride, and each time I ride I wish I could spend more time out on the bike.
I distinctly remember the day the stabilisers came off my first bike, a Raleigh Budgie. It was a small version of a Chopper, the bike that all the cool kids had in the movies, and it was a kind of burnt orange colour with only one brake on the front. My next memory of that bike is testing that brake out pretty hard, going over the handlebars and almost losing my front teeth. Didn’t say I was a smart 6 year old! A much loved BMX Burner came next which thankfully had both brakes, and helped 10-year old me to be a BMX bandit.
After university, I decided to do some mountain biking with a mate, and so took a years’ worth of cigarette money and spent it on a mountain bike. A GT Zaskar, which my childhood heroes had been riding in the World Championships. I gave up the smokes, a passion was re-ignited and an addiction to jumping off things and getting muddy started. It’s still there, I just spend a bit more time on the road in less dangerous situations these days!
At the moment, my wife Fiona and I are just trying to get back to spending more time on our bikes, after the last couple of years which have been focussed on raising our first little bike rider, and getting out with the group at Parklife CC has been a huge motivator. At Parklife CC, there is a real community spirit and inclusiveness amongst the club, whether they are championship riders or those getting out for the first time in years. It’s a down to earth crowd with a good chat, especially during the obligatory post ride coffee.
If you’re thinking about getting out on your bike, come and join us on one of the Saturday rides, say hello and see for yourself.
Cheers.
