They don't get it

[Python]

It can be very difficult for someone who is overweight, needs and wants to exercise but because of physical constraints, can't. About the only exercise my friend can take now is swimming. She can't raise her arms above her head because of spondylosis (sp) in her neck and spine so she has difficulty getting in and out of the swimming pool. She went to see an orthopaedic specialist on Monday and he thinks there may be something else wrong with her lower spine and has put her down for further tests. She so wants to be active because she has two young daughters, age 9 and 10 and wants to do things with them that at the moment she can't. She can walk 200 yards to my house but any further than that and she has to use a walking stick. It's so sad in someone so young

I sometimes feel guilty because I'm 10 years older and bouncing around like a demented frisbee, walking or cycling everywhere. I know if she could get on her bike, she would lose weight an awful lot quicker. It's a catch 22 situation.

[Tuckervill]

I did misunderstand. Wish I had time to find a forum where people were serious and not in denial about weight loss!

But my anecdote still stands.

Karen

[Crankin]

Here's my humble take on these things. Most of long time non-cycling friends don't get it, but they accept that I continue to need to do these things (cycle, gym, active vacations, hike, etc). The one that pisses me off is constantly telling me how she "used" to hike, climb mountains in Europe, etc. She plays tennis, but like a little old lady. She looked like she was in good shape until a couple of years ago, but now, it's all gone to pot. She can't go on a walk without huffing and puffing and complaining about her hot flashes. I spend a lot more time with my husband and another couple who ride and are as obsessive as we are. We also are obsessive about food and going out to eat, so we keep exercising! The people my age at work don't get it and never will. They didn't get it 20 years ago, either, when I was teaching aerobics and making sure i got a babysitter every week so my husband and I could go out without the kids (different workplace, same complaining type of females). Now that my school has mostly younger teachers, a lot of them get it. They tell me I'm a role model.
As for the mom waiting in the driveway with a car, don't get me started... When we moved to our last house, my kids were in 5th and 7th grade. We lived on a cul de sac, 2 houses from the connecting street, where the bus stopped. We were the only ones who did not sit in the car with our kids (in high school, no less!) in bad weather, or at any time. We gave them umbrellas and made sure they had snow hats... several times the other mothers made my kids sit their cars while waiting for the bus. Sometimes I watched from my window, and other times i drove right by, on my way to work. They also had to shovel their car out on snowy mornings when they started driving (the other parents did it for their kids). What is wrong with these people? My husbnd said that in our new neighborhood there are cars lined up by the high school bus stop every morning.

[btchance]

I go by a school bus stop on my way home from work. It happens to be the kid's personal driveway and his house is set not even a quartermile from the road. Everyday his mom is waiting for him at the end of the drive in a golf cart. A friggin golf cart! We are such a sedentary nation . . .

In my apartment complex two kids (who just happen to be overweight) were given motorized scooters to play with as if they were bikes. These were designed for people who can't get around, not for kids to drive around in the street. When I was growing up, it was always bikes or skateboards. I just don't get this.

But back to the original post - I get it all the time. Parts of my family can't understand why I would do this, and it scares them to death when I'm on the road with cars, or on the trails where I may fall. At least some of them understand why I have to be doing this, as a release from all the stresses of everyday life. Hey, at least they get part of it.

[Trekhawk]

spend more time here, amongst people who do get it

i have some seriously "dont get it" people here at work... and what i notice most about them is the have a constant hate fest with the world and wear a scowl on their faces 24/7.

People who dont get it arent worth the effort. Put your energy into encouraging those who do, or show some interest in maybe getting it. That's what i try to do. We have a newbie at work who is going to buy a bike and ride to work. I'm really excited for her, cos i think she's gunna love it . So i prefer to spend my time encouraging her than listening to the moaners!

PS Had the best ride in this morning... tailwind, warm, fast, storms in the distance... it was awesome ..how could you ever pass up the buzz of something like that and choose to be miserable and hate the whole world instead

I agree with theav - I really dont care if they get it or not. Im just so pleased that I GET IT.

[Python]

Years ago we walked to school in all kinds of weather. If it snowed, we didn't get days off like they do now here. One snowflake falls and the school is closed. The usual excuse is the central heating's broken down. Well, that happened when I was at school too - frequently in winter. We just kept our coats on and classes carried on regardless. Kids don't get out to play enough nowadays. Some of that is due to them being glued to computers and video games, most due to parents not making them go out and play but there is another aspect too, and it's not a good one. There are too many perverts on the loose here and in the UK the criminal is put before the victim so kids aren't safe like we were 40 odd years ago.

As a kid I had my bike (unfortunately I didn't have it very long but that's another story for another day ), roller-skates and we used to play a lot of skipping games and ball games. In winter, as soon as the snow came we were out rolling around in it, getting very wet and very cold, but we didn't feel it. We had FUN

Perhaps this is one reason kids (and adults) go down with more serious illnesses than we used to 30 or 40 years ago.

I'll stick with my bike. I'm getting exercise, relaxation and fun all rolled into one and that has got to be good for me

[TerraNik]

My work thinks I am mad!! I have broken my arm twice in the past 6 months (different arm each time) and when I phoned them up to tell them about my most recent fracture my supervisor told me that I should just go and buy an exercise bike!! They don't understand...! Mtn biking is my passion and I don't care how many times I get hurt, I will still do it as long as I am able!

Thankfully my family and my partner's family are very accepting and understanding. We have many people in our family who ride both on road and mtn.

I just find it funny when someone asks how much my bike costs, and the response that I get usually is, "oh my god! you could buy a small car for that!" Yes, yes I could... But I already have a car.

[rocknrollgirl]

My friends and coworkers keep witing for me to grow up! My Mom was hiking 14.000 foot peaks and skiing a million vertical feet a year until she was diagnosed with ovairian cancer 3 years ago. She is 72, and until she got sick could out ski most guys half her age, through the powder in the trees in Colorado.

So I guess in my case, mt bike racing at 44 is a genetic affliction.....

Rock on girls...I hope they never get it.....think how crowded the trails would be



HA HA HA HA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ruth

[mimitabby]

My Mom was hiking 14.000 foot peaks and skiing a million vertical feet a year until she was diagnosed with ovairian cancer 3 years ago. She is 72, and until she got sick could out ski most guys half her age, through the powder in the trees in Colorado.

HA HA HA HA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ruth

Ruth, so how is your mom??


this thread reminds me of the sadness I have with many of my friends and relatives. Only a few of them "get it" the rest are giving up.
they can't walk because their feet hurt, or their back hurts, or...
they gain weight because they are not moving around, and this makes it worse. DH and I are bouncing around and healthier than we have been all our lives, but we are surrounded by siblings, cousins, and friends who are OLD and getting OLDER fast as multiple systems break down in their bodies from their unhealthy lives. I have one cousin who is 7 years older than me. She spends hours walking and working out now, but her husband ... it's too late for him and she can't do anything about it. It's so sad. (he has diabetes, and his spine is destroyed from carrying around too much weight for much of his life)

[Trekhawk]

I just find it funny when someone asks how much my bike costs, and the response that I get usually is, "oh my god! you could buy a small car for that!" Yes, yes I could... But I already have a car.

LOL - that is so true. People dont blink an eye if you buy something with a motor that cost a fortune but if its a bicycle they think your insane.

[mimitabby]

LOL - that is so true. People dont blink an eye if you buy something with a motor that cost a fortune but if its a bicycle they think your insane.

Yes, like my friends with the $30,000 motorcycles. A beast which you sit upon for hours and get no exercise at all!

[Python]

I think that as fossil fuel becomes scarcer and more expensive, people will be forced to contemplate alternative forms of tranport like bicycles and even back to horse and cart.

One thing I've noticed when I'm out cycling, especially on the cycle paths, people speak to me even if it's just "hello". That doesn't happen when you're in a car.

[Geonz]

How much website space and publicity is spent on bicycling... andwhat percentage of that is spent on "bicycling safety?" I remember reading (in another forum, maybe?) that somebody mused that when people talk about skiing with non-skiiers, they still talk about how much fun it is, not so much about how hazardous it is.
I would really like to change the sad reality that my gradual shift from being a car person to using the bike for almost all transportation has been a gradual shift into being someone "on the fringe" and a minor celebrity. I wish people could realize that while I've never been confused for normal, I honestly was your average couch potato for most of the years of my adult life before I decided that I'd rather be different and healthy. Healthy shouldn't be weird!
Ready to do some serious culture jamming here

[lph]

Re: family that "don't get it": my mother and I have always been the active ones in the family. She used to go hiking in the mountains for many years until now she has a really bad hip that needs replacing. I'm the one "bouncing around like a demented frisbee"...

My father is kind of a distracted genius, and has never put any store in taking care of his body, that annoying appendage to his mind. He started having mild heart trouble five years ago, and in the course of a few months had a bypass operation replacing FIVE arteries.

My brother was the same. He never exercised, sedentary lifestyle, ate anything put in front of him, smoked a few cigarettes a day. He died 3 months ago, 41 years old, of a massive heart attack.

Take care of yourselves! It DOES make a difference.

[Thistle]

Yes, like my friends with the $30,000 motorcycles. A beast which you sit upon for hours and get no exercise at all!

That's so true. The weekend before last, DH and i went out to watch the 24 hr mountain bike challenge here - had 3000 riders - totally awesome. When i got into work Mon, one person asked me what i did on the weekend. I told them, and said how great it was, how everyone had a great time, no one was drunk, there was no littering, everyone was friendly... told them it was totally awesome

Whoa, silly me. Got back this barrage about how stupid people are who put all that energy into a 24hr race and how they could be doing something "useful" with their lives like building schools for aborigines! (dont get me wrong, i do think that building schools for children is useful, but there are a lot of people out there who could be doing that instead of say drinking themselves stupid in pubs!)

Then went on to say "it's no different to bathurst" (a 1000km V8 car race held here every year). Had been pretty tolerant to that point, but couldnt resist saying "yeah, but these guys use their bodies as fuel instead of polluting the environment"

I was totally amazed that someone could find a 24hr bike race offensive????? It was held in the bush, and she didnt even know it was on.

So i just live and learn.... not to share exciting weekend bike stories with that person again

And try to remember, when someone's reaction is way out of proportion, it's gunna be about something else!