Rambling Roads

Notable Quotes
by Jeff Beilfuss
May 2010

With the spring season quickly maturing I thought a few insights for the rest of the seasons were in order.  It’s not that I have more insights than anyone else.  It’s just that collectively there are more we can draw on than we can conjure up as individuals.  Certainly some people have had more experiences in cycling than others.  Don’t discount your own experiences or, for that matter, the experiences of others.  But remember this: It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.   With this introduction I’d like to include a few tidbits gleaned from Ultra Cycling Magazine.

Quotes worth Mentioning:

"Ride each ride like it might be your last”

"You've never ridden long enough to know everything”

"I discovered the benefits of reflective tape on the fork and wheel stays and that

you can never have too many lights"

"My uppermost thought is 'finishing'”  

"I learned that safety is more important than finishing a ride"  

"Be Prepared:    I'm not embarrassed by the fact that I have switched my rear cog set to mountain bike gearing. I like to take the up-hills a little slower and spin to conserve energy.

Before each event, tighten all bolts!

My dilemma this year was "how much recovery is enough?" During the various training phases, (build, race, post-season rest), I don't think I took enough recovery time. I achieved a maximum of fitness but perhaps at the cost of being tired and even run down.

Keep Your Shorts Dry!

(A discourse on ah, hum, saddle sores!)

Ride your own ride, but be flexible. If you find compatible riding partners, ride with them. If the weather is adverse, re-evaluate and adjust your original plan and goals.

Start the ride well within your capacity, if you ride fast at the beginning, you will not regain the wasteful expenditure of energy. Remember, there is not usually a prize for completing a fast first 100 miles!

Check your route sheet twice and turn once. A few seconds re-checking the route sheet can save many miles of unneeded travel.

As you make plans for new cycling adventures in 2010, remember the thrill of your early cycling adventures as a child. Try to recapture that sense of adventure as you set out to accomplish your cycling goals throughout the year (Ken Bonner, Ultra Cycling.)

I couldn’t have said it better myself.  And now that y’all ‘know it all,’ get out there and ride!

Ramble On