Even as a kid, I understood the benefits of cross-training. Roller skating was one of my favorite activities. I was pretty good at it. In the winter, I would try ice skating, but I always feared falling on the hard ice. My tushy didn’t appreciate that.

I knew that I would need some mad skillz to support my bike habit. One time, I even got to help my dad build a house.

Unfortunately, those mechanical abilities never translated into my adult life, which is kind of a hindrance when it comes to bike repairs.

I also understood the importance of just chillin’. In those days, I enjoyed honing my skills with the latest flavor of Bubble Yum or Hubba Bubba. These days, I prefer post-ride chill sessions with Michigan micro brews. This past winter, I really took a liking to IPAs, but now that the days are warmer, I prefer sweeter ambers.

It wasn’t until I moved to Hancock in 2006 that I rediscovered the joys of riding a bike. Until recent years, I didn’t know that I was actually “mountain biking” on that pink, banana-seat Huffy on the trails behind our house. You can see a couple of pictures of those unofficial trails at “Bicycle Tour of Durand Part I—A Photo Essay.”

I now realize that the times in my life when I truly enjoyed bicycling are linked by one common thread: mountain biking. Finally, I can understand this kid’s enthusiasm:

He figured it out, early in life.

What I enjoy about Jill’s blog is that she is someone I can relate to – someone who lives in snow land and likes to ride – but someone I can’t even begin to motivate myself to aspire to be. However, Jill’s dedication really isn’t unobtainable, and I completely realize that. This is why her experiences serve as inspiration to me.

Jill is currently going through a life change similar to what I recently experienced. She has resigned from her journalist position with the hope of moving to Anchorage and is receiving a lot of pressure from her current employer to take a more demanding position that is a promotion with an incredible offer attached to it. She is battling with the idea of leaving this opportunity of wonderful job stability for adventure with an unknown professional life. In the end, all she wants to do is ride.

I just wanted to ride, as well. My resignation was in response to the lack of freedom I faced with my job. I spent 50% of my free time tethered to Houghton/Hancock at the will of my employer. If they wanted me there, I had to go. Due to their masterful timing, it became a situation that interfered with my riding, which is paramount to maintaining my sanity, and church – they usually called me in just as I arrived at the church parking lot or during Mass. I couldn’t help out with many trail work sessions due to the time constraints of being on call – I have to arrive within 30 minutes. It was simply no way to live.

I did a lot of research and found that a simple self-promotion would alleviate these issues. Unfortunately, this simple promotion involved resigning from a very stable, well-paying career and returning to college. I don’t think this is a popular choice for many in this time of economic hardship. It was a difficult choice for me. I had several reasons for making my decision and I did a lot of research before beginning this new journey. It most certainly is not easy now that I am back at school. It is very difficult trying to maintain my lifestyle while affording a roof over my head. It is scary. However, it is being done for the quest of happiness in the form of eventual freedom.

Andrea, The Accidental Athlete, left her job, several months ago, to pursue a freelance career. Like Jill, she is a writer. Unlike Jill, she has already taken the plunge. She seems to be happy with what she is doing. She is making positive life changes by focusing more on her riding and successfully losing excess weight, making her a lean, mean, racing machine.

Here we have three examples of female cyclists who are making career changes in a time when many can’t find jobs. What is our deal?

It isn’t that we don’t have responsibilities. We have to eat like everyone else, but why are we willing to throw stability out the window? Even while the need for money is a hot issue, do we recognize that it is not what makes us happy? Are we afraid of getting caught up in a lifestyle that focuses on making an income and tosses riding into the shadows of our lives? Do we place more importance on being truly happy now? Is this unrealistic? Would we rather live, love, and play, even if financial worries are always on the forefront of our minds?

I think so.

I think we know what really makes life worth living, and we already have all that we need to do just that. We recognize that while jobs are necessary, they are not all that we are.

Conveniently enough, the bike shop where I attend my therapy sessions is called The Bike Shop. It is inside the confines of this bike shop where I have shared in great sociological studies.

First of all, people think that I own every bike they see me walk into the bike shop with. After testing a Jamis Dakar XC bike, I brought it back into the shop and saw a guy who I had been seeing there quite a bit. He looked at me with surprise and exclaimed, “How many bikes to you have!?” to which I replied, “Only three.” I failed to elaborate that I did not own the bike in hand, nor did I further explain that I was just about to place an order for the more expensive Dakar XC Expert. I also failed to explain to anyone, including myself, that I did not have the money for the Expert, but I managed to pull it off, anyway. This situation is simply a classic example that, while at the bike shop, people feel like they can do anything. It’s kind of like a 5-year-old considering running for the Presidency, someday.

The second observation I have made at the bike shop is that men love beer and cookies. In fact, providing beer and cookies is a great act of diplomacy with the local bike shop and will most likely ensure excellent service in the future. I have even paid for bike parts and repairs in the currency of beer and cookies.

The bike shop is a great place to learn about great deals on other products found outside of the bike shops, even in other states and on other continents. Take this gem found on Craig’s List (edited for length: follow the link to read the whole ad):

Do you need a year round way to water your lawn, deck, yard, garage? Have you ever wondered what a 425 gallon colander looks like? Ever really wanted a motorized dog bath? Today is your lucky day. I have a free hot tub. Yes it is complete and it is drained. I drained part of it and it drained itself the rest of the way. Where does it leak??? Find that and you have found the leprechaun with the pot of gold. This unit is perfect for the individual who knows no limit to frustration. The type of person who likes a challenge even when there is no chance of winning. This will build the kind of character in you the armed forces dream of. You will find yourself exhibiting behavior that you never thought possible, but IT’S FREE!!!! You will need strong backs to load and a trailer. I will be able to offer short bouts of sympathy and witty banter while you prepare to begin your journey.

Coleman 411 – 5 Person tub
Has Cover
Pumps, heater, etc did work
Air injector pump has been disconnected
The rest is a foam filled crap shoot

As you can see, the bike shop is more than just a place to acquire your favorite products. It is a magical portal into the magical world of uncontrolled self-indulgence, beer, cookies, and a little taste of insanity.

I have to go, now. The bike shop is calling me.

• Applying for med school: the type of doctor I wish to become has more time and money to devote to mountain biking than I did as a full-time ultrasound tech taking call (trust me – I did my research).
• I am a board member for the Red Jacket – Bluesky Health Cycling Team.
• I have recently become the webmaster and Color Tour coordinator for the Copper Country Cycling Club.
• I am currently running for an MMBA State Board Member At-Large position.
• I devote a lot of time to maintaining this cycling web site.
• Cross country skiing and weight training are done to improve my cycling.

Interesting, eh?

This is how I deal with things. I am not one to dwell on the negative aspects of my life. I learned a long time ago that I simply cannot deal with that kind of negativity. It eats away at me and I become a less-functional person. I lose hope easily.

I am not an expert, by any means, but cycling is something that I really am good at. I don’t claim to be an awesome board member, but my passion for the sport has created quite a devotion to related activities. I actually feel useful, and I need that. It is almost as if cycling validates me as a human being. That is almost sad, if you think about it, but I have found an addiction that allows me to deal with life, no matter how difficult life gets.

This addiction didn’t develop because of my usefulness or business with the sport, though. It developed from the physical and biochemical effects it has on me. If you see me after a really hard workout, you’ll most likely find someone who almost looks high. Three hours of mentally challenging mountain biking – i.e. technical riding – forces me to clear my mind and focus on the trail, or I may endo, and we don’t want that. This clearing of the mind is equivalent to meditation. Actually, it is meditation, only I’m sitting on a bike instead of the floor, and my heart rate is about 165 beats per minute instead of 65 beats per minute. Meditation is simply the clearing of the mind. Sure, it can be much more complex than that, but it is essentially clearing the mind and centering. Mountain biking is the only thing that allows me to achieve this.

My mind is so busy with all of my projects and stress that I need to be forced into meditation. After forced meditation and the effects of physical exercise, I feel like I’ve popped a bit more Prozac than I should have, and I do know what Prozac feels like. It is truly amazing what the right activity can do for one’s emotions. It is truly amazing how one activity can improve all aspects of one’s life.

Best of all, I feel high, and I know that there won’t be some weird hangover, and that natural highs aren’t illegal or potentially damaging to my future life. Prozac-free for over four years and taking on the biggest challenges of my life, I am currently facing what I didn’t even dare to dream, before. I guess the lesson learned is that, while one probably won’t be able to change his or her personality type, one’s focus can most certainly be directed into something much greater and positive. I hope my addiction is a testimonial to that.

The above photo was taken Thanksgiving week in 2007 at the Kokopelli trails in Colorado. For more photos from this trip, check out my Colorado photos.

I was discussing an event with a team mate and was trying to remember when it happened. I found someone laughing at me when all of my temporal references were in relation to bike races rather than months and holidays. That is simply how it works.

When I chose a weekend for hosting a Trekker’s ride, a weekly ride for our local community bike club, I chose the weekend after the Great Deer Chase, but not the weekend just before Fat Tire, because I would be doing trail work that weekend.

It really is funny. It says a lot about my priorities, and I’m not the only one who uses this bike culture jibber jabber.

Whenever I use races and other cycling events as time references, my friends understand me perfectly well. In fact, they use the same language and no one thinks twice about it.

Let’s convert the above cycling time references to normal time:
• National Trails Day is the beginning of summer – the second weekend of June.
• The Fat Tire Festival is Labor Day weekend.
• Cyclocross season is fall.
• The Keweenaw Chain Drive is Father’s Day weekend.
• Roadie season is spring.

Do you find yourself using bike speak?