Really

My life is like this. After months and months of talking about Flock of Cycles to my friends and doing all I can to get them to come out on a ride, I finally managed it. Three of my friends joined me on their first flock ride. Just so happens to be the first flock ride this year with an actual hill.

Really?

Before anyone (especially those at Flock) think I'm complaining let me say that I'm not. There was nothing wrong with the route and it would of a made a pleasant change from the usual route. Also my friends made it up the hill and now have something to brag about. I just wish I could of warned them before hand. I talk constantly about the Flock of Cycles, I love the people and I look forward to the ride each month. I think it is kind of funny that when I finally get people to come on the ride it turns out to be nothing at all like what I made it out to be.

Life is like that sometimes.

I want to be serious and talk about two things. First off I want to say how proud I am that my friends didn't turn around when faced with that hill and made it up. I know many of you would smirk about me calling this is a hill. The truth is I didn't have any trouble with it either. Still it was hard for my friend and even though it was hard, there was no quitting. I am very proud of them.

Secondly when we were going up the hill we kept falling behind the group but we were never alone. Other Flockers stayed with us and encouraged us. I can remember my first few flock rides where I was the one in the back always holding everyone up. I wanted to quit. I felt like I was too old, fat, and slow. I didn't quit because back then there were people who helped me through it. People who made sure I made it and encouraged me when I wanted to quit.

It changed my life.

That isn't something I say lightly. So now I work to be the encouragement, and if Im lucky I can help someone else up that hill and give them the same feeling of accomplishment I had the first time I made it up that hill.

Hello Hills

Canton Ave Pittsburgh Pa

I have never really liked hills. (Shocking I know) Being a Fat Guy on an Orange Bike hills have been my eternal enemy. However something happened yesterday that while it didn't change my feelings toward hills, it may have lightened it just a bit. I am getting ahead of myself, so allow me to start at the beginning.

Monday was my birthday (so now I'm a Fat Old Guy on an Orange Bike) and I had hatched a plan to make a batch of mead (honey wine) on my birthday for my next birthday. It was a good plan, I was going to make make a couple gallons and all needed to do was pick up some honey and some yeast from the homebrew store.  Little did I know that my birthday is of such great importance that even the homebrew stores closed to celebrate (granted they said they are closed every monday but I know the truth) So alas I had to wait until yesterday (Tuesday) to stop and get the supplies I needed. 

I had my bike with me and after work I threw it on the bus and headed to the Brew shop. I picked up the 10 pounds of supplies I needed (and some I didn't need but wanted) and packed these things in my backpack and headed back to town on my bike. Up Noblestown road. (yes I know many of you out there don't think of that as a hill but it is and I do. I was surprised to find that I made it up the hill with little problem (granted I didnt break any land speed records) and only stopped to get on the proper side of the road. Even with the heavy backpack I managed it just fine. 

So this morning I started to (once again) re-plan my different routes to and from work.

Daydreams

Some people dream of loved ones, some of being loved.

Cyclists dream of hills.

Pittsburgh Cyclists Dream of the "Dirty Dozen" the thirteen steepest hills in Pittsburgh including what is arguably the steepest road in the world. Canton Ave.