Cool bicycling

March 24, 2013

You, like me, may be a USian.  We dwell proudly atop our Mexican neighbors like loud neighbors that like to party and might occasionally allow their dogs to pee out on the balcony.  I have not yet given in to the allure of the siren/vixen we call Netflix.  That is because I, like countless some other USians, like to get my lazy ass in gear to get up and go to the DVD rental vending machine or Blockbuster in order to procure my videos.

It is my theory that people are moderately active for 2 basic reasons.  The first group of people is moderately active because they realize that by being active they will feel better, be fitter and healthier.  So they are active.  The second group of people (the number 2s) like to do stuff that is fun, but also happens to involve moderate activity.  I fall, with a decisive sounding plop, into the number 2 category.  I like to watch movies, so I get out and run or bicycle to a place that has DVDs for rent.  I like to have money, so I ride my bicycle to my place of work at the old fern rehabilitation clinic each day to earn some bread, man.  I am not above fooling myself into exercising by creating some far-fetched seeming goal.  Like going hiking somewhere.  Or going rock-climbing somewhere.  Although I actually do not do these activities, I can picture them happening, so I occasionally do some exercising towards that end.  I also enjoy being involved in missions.  Missions aren't meant to be easy.  If it was nice out, it would be easy to walk over to the Redbox to get a movie.  But if its cold and slightly snowy, then its more like a mission.  Not one of the best missions, but a mission nonetheless.    

Here is a video about one of the best missions.

When I got to the Redbox a guy with a cowboy had and a moustache was there first and was quick about getting his flick.

"Too cold for that, man!" he opined at me.
I was wearing my torn Bianchi tights and running shoes.  Some other stuff too.
"I was thinking about that on the way over." I responded, in a manner that was unusually conversational and thoughtful for me.  He informed me that he liked to bicycle, but that when his buddy called him recently, he declined the offer to bicycle.  Running was one thing, it's not like you're going 30 mph.  Bicycling you could go 30 (with a tail wind) and it feels damn cold.  Although I didn't argue the point that it doesn't feel that cold when you've got a tail wind, I agreed with his general point that bicycling in the cold feels colder than running.  He informed me that he did some indoor exercising (stationary bicycling and walking on a treadmill), but that he couldn't run anymore due to a knee injury he had sustained while fooling around, playing some football with his buddies.  He laughingly encouraged me to stay warm and I wished him a fine afternoon.

This exchange prompted me to consider some things, for a change.  One: I should probably avoid recreational sports.  I have already sworn off soccer due to some contact that my balls had received from a rather briskly moving soccer ball.  I would probably have played ultimate frisbee if anyone had mentioned it to me before my shoulder injury.  But I don't think I would anymore since I found out that ultimate frisbee is likely to result in shoulder injury.  This happened to be of slight benefit to me, as I was able to find these shoulder rehab exercises on an ultimate frisbee website.

A buddy of mine hurt his ankle playing basketball, and it kind of hurts my lower back when I try to play basketball.  And I suck at it.  These anecdotes have convinced me that if I am involved in any of these activities I should be prepared to accept debilitating injury as a result.  I don't want that.  But on the upside, if you get injured doing something, there's still a pretty good chance you'll be able to bicycle.  It's good for your knees.

Table tennis/ping-pong, darts, maybe some pool.  These are appropriate activities for a moderately active man like me.

Reflections of a current and future time.  Toke up on that hombres and hombrissimos.

Been watching any basketball?  I kind of like to watch basketball towards the end of the season.  And I played basketball for a while in junior high.  I made a basket when they let me play for a couple minutes one time.  It woulda been a 3-pointer if they had those back then.  What?  You don't believe me?  Fine, you're probably right, but I can remember it how I want to damn it!

One thing I've learned from watching several hours of the NCAA men's basketball tournament is that everyone's favorite NBA baller, Kevin Durant, is an avid bicyclist.

He talks about it in his Degree commercial.

And, as we all know, bicycling and basketball go together like bicycling, basketball, and a skateboard.

So let's all get out there and do some cool bicycling!  The soundtrack may be stolen from a porno, but the video is PG.  Let's actively chill!