Cycling addiction=addiction to life journey

[KnottedYet]

If I may be the mundane healthcare worker for a moment: please trash your helmet and buy a new one.

A fall/impact compromises the helmet, even if it looks ok you can't trust it. It did its job with your fall on the ice (it took the energy of impact instead of your head taking it) and it's best to get a new one.

Ok, healthcare worker nagging moment over.

(sorry, I can't help myself)

[mimitabby]

you are really really lucky. An experienced cyclist i know broke his hip last winter going 5 mph.

what Knot said.

[KnottedYet]

And, yes, I agree with the biking/life metaphor. Sometimes I honestly think that biking has saved my life several times.

[shootingstar]

And, yes, I agree with the biking/life metaphor. Sometimes I honestly think that biking has saved my life several times.

thx for warning about helmet, falling dangers. THis is the 3rd time in past 4 winters I've fallen. And all times, it's been cycling at a very slow speed because I could see the ice. lst time was going slowly up a gentle hill. Usually we don't get much snow at the mainland/foot of mountains here in Vancouver. But we get the black ice enough. Deceiving stuff..

How has cycling has saved your life?

Right now, cycling most likely is keeping me away from the diabetes 2 edge..and I didn't realize it until a few wks. ago.

Cycling has made me less fearful..of sudden change thrust upon me in life. It doesn't make my struggles easier, just less afraid.
Cycling has also made me more alert of how the same things might look different under different lighting, conditions (either environmental, situational or psychological).

So much of cycling's trip lessons, even same trip made every day but under changing weather conditions, have been great lessons to carry subconsciously for myself to other areas of my life. I am most grateful....to the simple bike.

[Melalvai]

This isn't the most exciting "life lesson" and it's been slow, not all at once.

Cycling has changed how I travel, and I don't just mean the commute. I mean walking down the hall, going upstairs, walking across campus.

I no longer look for the shortest route. I look for the most pleasant. I take stairs instead of elevators, even up to the 7th floor. I walk instead of bike the mile across campus. I don't try to be so efficient when I need to visit several places in a building. If I get back to my office and discover I forgot something, I make another trip upstairs.

It's a different mindset. Less of "Oh sh*t, I forgot X" and more of "Oh well, I'll take care of that this afternoon. It'll be a good excuse for a walk."

There's a little convenience store in a nearby dorm, which I used to buy all kinds of coke & candy at with a lady in my office. She still buys her junk food there, and I go with her just for the walk, and don't buy stuff.

[mimitabby]

This isn't the most exciting "life lesson" and it's been slow, not all at once.

Cycling has changed how I travel, and I don't just mean the commute. I mean walking down the hall, going upstairs, walking across campus.

I no longer look for the shortest route. I look for the most pleasant. I take stairs instead of elevators, even up to the 7th floor. I walk instead of bike the mile across campus. I don't try to be so efficient when I need to visit several places in a building. If I get back to my office and discover I forgot something, I make another trip upstairs.

It's a different mindset. Less of "Oh sh*t, I forgot X" and more of "Oh well, I'll take care of that this afternoon. It'll be a good excuse for a walk."

There's a little convenience store in a nearby dorm, which I used to buy all kinds of coke & candy at with a lady in my office. She still buys her junk food there, and I go with her just for the walk, and don't buy stuff.

Great post!! (what Melalavai said!!)

[tulip]

Great stuff! Cycling has led me down a new path, a path of fulfilment and happiness that I never knew existed.

Cycling on ice (and falling) has also led me to the bike shop to buy studded tires. What a wonderful feeling and sound they make.

Thanks for the post, shootingstar.

[sundial]

thx for warning about helmet, falling dangers. THis is the 3rd time in past 4 winters I've fallen.

Ok, I have to ask. Do you have to cycle to class in inclement weather?

You could get really lucky and be a part of a happy accident. Here's how it plays out: Your bike slides, you fall onto the paint tubes that squirt onto canvas that you roll onto thus creating THE painting that could make you famous. Let's call it the performance art piece. And then MOMA invites you to show your work for the 2008 MOMA Emerging Artists show. Your work ends up on the cover of ArtNews and you're getting grants like crazy and solo shows in the Soho district.

I can see how this could be a good thing.