2012. Lots of resolutions. Being a daily cyclist means that weight loss is not one of them (albeit I seem to be all legs and lungs with mush and no muscle above the waist).
And speaking of mush and no muscle I fall into the camp of slow rider. A few weeks ago I got to ride with some of the guys who are in the NY VeloCity club. One showed up with his new bike with the electronic Shimano shifter things. Needless to say I was dropped immediately if not sooner but they did drop back to stay with me for 6 minutes before heading up to Nyack and back to NYC while I wheezed my way home.
Did I say I didn't need to lose weight? Or maybe I just need to get younger. These guys were all 20 years my junior. But no excuse. It did, however, make me want to curse a bit.
And speaking of cursing, I have resolved not to yell profanities at motorists and pedestrians who do stupid things. This will take more self-discipline than losing 100 pounds because there are so many stupid things that happen daily. Mostly red light runners, cars turning in front of you and pedestrians stepping off the curb because cyclists, after all, don't count.
I have studied profanity a lot while riding. Here is what I have discovered. Most profane utterings are two guttural syllables. Think about it: F... Y.., D..... B.., S... H..., A.. H...
I have tried to come up with substitutes.
It is difficult.
I tried yelling "Troglodyte", but it is too long and just doesn't have the gravitas and impact. "Cro-Magnon" also too effete and too many syllables. "Dufus" comes close but just elicits a smiley smirk.
So I have come to a realization. Yelling profanities doesn't do anything productive. It just zaps you of good Karma. And what good is that?
So my 2012 bicycle resolution: brake, smile and keep on going. Oh, and work on my upper body strength. Who knows, maybe in twenty years those NY VeloCity guys will have to work to catch up to me.
Cheers all.
