Yrs. on bike & what keeps you there

[Popoki_Nui]

Got my first tricycle at age four, my first bike at five. Rode steadily from then all through high school, even racing at the high school level. In my twenties (~1980) the I sorta went off the rails...partied far more than I should have and made toxic living an art form...sprung a few leaks...then pulled myself together and got a career. Climbed a few rungs of the corporate ladded and perched there awhile, decided it wasn't for me, retired in 1999, and took up cycling again. I had barely touched my bikes for nearly two decades. Just didn't have the time or enthusiasm (or sometimes, the ability) to ride.
After ~20 years of very little riding, getting back on the bike was tough! But the passion was back. It felt so darn good to ride! It still does.
I lost almost 50 pounds when I began riding again, My weight has also always been all over the place, but I've kept much of those 50# off. Except around my tummy. Grrr. Weight loss, plus overall fitness is what keeps me on my bikes. And the passion....the sheer enjoyment of just being out there.