I just want to love to ride again.

[HermitGirl]

Another thing has occurred to me : I met my DH when I was race-fit, and 50 pounds smaller and buffer, and well, I think I let my whole self image shape itself around his impression of me (or my perception of his impression of me) , and so, talk about unrealistic expectations to be upheld. Many married women know how emotionally constricting it is to have a false halo or bunch of old worn-out expectations as baggage to carry in a relationship. I realized just as I was getting choked by my own guilt, that I am getting choked by a degree of percieved expecation from my DH, and that does *nothing* good for a marriage, believe me. A real lose-lose situation, but one I must own up to, and take full responsibility in turning around. Oy. Hard work on all fronts !

[HermitGirl]

Zen ~ I believe that's where riding was born for me, in the quiet place of my life, but as you follow the story, it's when other people came into that quiet place, did it evolve out of quietness. I want the quiet back, I crave it. I crave being able to hear the slow gurgle of the creek up the mtn, and the wind in the spokes, and the rustle in the autumn leaves. Oh... I can't wait.

Hey, do you play accordion, or what?

[HappyTexasMom]

BTW I love the term "Slow Riding". Doesn't hurt that it makes me feel better.

I do want to get fit, so I don't want all of my rides to be too slow, but I figure if I can ride 50 or more miles, not matter what the pace, I'll be ahead of where I'm at now.

I'm also a budding photographer, so this style of cycling melds perfectly with it. Now to move my butt somewhere that has scenery that I enjoy more (OregonOregonOregonOregon).

[HermitGirl]

BTW I love the term "Slow Riding". Doesn't hurt that it makes me feel better.

I do want to get fit, so I don't want all of my rides to be too slow, but I figure if I can ride 50 or more miles, not matter what the pace, I'll be ahead of where I'm at now.

I'm also a budding photographer, so this style of cycling melds perfectly with it. Now to move my butt somewhere that has scenery that I enjoy more (OregonOregonOregonOregon).

SlowRiding is a mentality, an attitude.... not an actual pace. It's all relative to the clutter keeping one agitated too much, not enjoying turning the crank.... or stopping to take photographs!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I suggest you get on your bike in plain old street clothes (with helmet though) and just go ride to have a cappuchino somewhere pleasant. Then ride home.
Think about making your bike a natural part of your everyday lifestyle instead of having biking be a big competition where every ride requires complicated preparations, special gear, and unpleasant emotions for you.
Sounds like you need to re-connect with your inner bicycle child.

[HermitGirl]

I suggest you get on your bike in plain old street clothes (with helmet though) and just go ride to have a cappuchino somewhere pleasant. Then ride home.
Think about making your bike a natural part of your everyday lifestyle instead of having biking be a big competition where every ride requires complicated preparations, special gear, and unpleasant emotions for you.
Sounds like you need to re-connect with your inner bicycle child.

I agree about the cappucchino and riding in street clothes. I don't fit into hardly *any* of my old riding clothes anyway. THe other day I just picked up my trail bike and started riding from my door up the ridge road, in my pants and t-shirt... it was thoroughly liberating to not have to GEAR UP for a ride. Thoroughly. Since driving to ride is not my forte, or philosophy, I think I will have to make that cappuccino with my campstove packed in panniers, at a nice turnout with a view of the valley, as I live on top of a mtn at around 2000 ft, ten miles from town. To ride into town to get to the fancy cafes is indeed an epic ride for me at this time (Zen, I did say "epic" _

I do definitely need to reconnect with my inner bicycle child, and not cringe at the thought of the old club riders passing me on the road (I live on a very popular mtn road-riding loop) .. barely recognising me, and then making me feel exphixiated in my own shame of not riding with them any longer .... whatEVER !!!! I think there's a degree of left over paranoia that just makes no sense any longer. Thanks.

[HermitGirl]

Bleeker St Girl ~ I am getting slammed with coincidences right and left.... I quickly viewed your profile ... I own a mtn dulcimer, but hardly know how to play it, and was thinking just the other day how I must change that !

Weird !!! , but ina cool kind of way

[HappyTexasMom]

SlowRiding is a mentality, an attitude.... not an actual pace. It's all relative to the clutter keeping one agitated too much, not enjoying turning the crank.... or stopping to take photographs!

Well, I wasn't really taking it literally, although I see that it sounded like I was. I just meant that for some of the things I'd like to do, I'm not going to be able to take too much of a smell the roses approach, or I just won't be able to get them done. That said, I think it still fits in with doing what I want to do to enjoy my riding..

[Lakerider]

I ride alone most times. My favorite places to rides are near lakes & rivers. Just enjoying the nature around me is so calming. I do keep track of my miles but I'm not in compitition with anyone except maybe myself, improving my indurance. I hope that you can find your joy in riding again soon!

[HappyTexasMom]

Btw I'd love to come ride with you on your mountain (my ideal environment)...in a very non-competitive way, of course. You'd probably have to drop me, because I'd be stopping every 30 seconds to take pictures.

[lph]

This is a great thread. I happen to love riding fast, and am at my most competitive (which isn't very) on a bike, but your thoughts on being a Slow Rider are just the way I feel about kayak paddling at the moment. I know plenty of people who paddle fast, are technically very experienced and can teach me a lot... but I don't want to. I adore sliding silently through the water close to shore, suddenly realizing I can see pale rocks on the bottom glowing through clear water, noticing the amazing colour of those flowers growing right down by the edge, trying to capture the reflection with my camera before my waves disturb it, watching a scruffy gull chick eeping with a beady-eyed parent bird watching me. I like being a Slow Paddler, and have no desire to speed up and lose all this. I don't paddle as much as I just slide around in a kayak, seeing things I would never see otherwise.

So my only tip would be bring a camera, a thermos flask of coffee and some cookies, and go out for a ride to take pictures and drink coffee someplace completely new, with the bike just as a means to get there.

[indigoiis]

Another thing has occurred to me : I met my DH when I was race-fit, and 50 pounds smaller and buffer, and well, I think I let my whole self image shape itself around his impression of me (or my perception of his impression of me) , and so, talk about unrealistic expectations to be upheld. Many married women know how emotionally constricting it is to have a false halo or bunch of old worn-out expectations as baggage to carry in a relationship. I realized just as I was getting choked by my own guilt, that I am getting choked by a degree of percieved expecation from my DH, and that does *nothing* good for a marriage, believe me. A real lose-lose situation, but one I must own up to, and take full responsibility in turning around. Oy. Hard work on all fronts !

This may not seem like your primary concern - but it is a huge deal. I totally know what you mean. My husband met me when I was a mess - 28 and a heavy drinker and smoker and 110 lbs and a size 2. I look at pics of me from then and often feel very remiss that I gained all the weight when I quit smoking and drinking. But the truth of the matter is, you were probably too skinny before and now you're just right. It's just hard to put it in perspective, ya know? I can relate.

I like the idea of slow riding. I'm competitive too. Slowing down is not a bad thing (easier said than done.)

I am competing in a 1/2 marathon in October and asked my husband if he would join me. He said, "nah, I'm just gonna take my bike out to the drive and tuck a book in my jersey and wait for you guys to run by..." it almost made me want to cancel my registration so I can join him instead! LOL.

+1 "just go ride and have fun."