#bikeschool Pedal Fast to slow life down

NJ view from GWB

Growing up in the NYC Metropolitan area, you get used to a certain lifestyle.  This area is focused on living a high paced, keep working till you drop type lifestyle and just enjoy the money.  Which is fine for most people, hell I've been doing it for a while now.  Living life as an automotive technician caused me to adopt this way of thinking/working/living in order to optimize my income.  I was once told that I'm always rushing and always want to get things done quick and as efficiently as possible.  Frankly, I really don't care about that anymore.  Of course we all need money to survive and to do the most basic things, especially in this area.  But as opposed to going out on the weekends drinking/eating my money away or sitting at a desk at home after sitting at a desk at work; I found something more rewarding physically and spiritually, and I STILL have to work for it.

NYC view from GWB

I've always been a junkie for speed and precision handling.  Most of it was only attainable via a turbocharged motor and beefed up suspension components.  But now I could satisfy that need on two wheels barely an inch in diameter.  In addition, I get to see places and sites I always pass by but never stopped to look or appreciate it.  For example, traveling over the George Washington Bridge via vehicle has always been a hassle for me, the need to pay the E-Z Pass bill, sitting in 45 minutes of traffic just to travel 200 ft to the toll, and my carbon footprint/gas usage idling throughout that whole wait time.  These are things you have to pay attention to when "time is money."  But when I was cycling over it actually got to enjoy the wind in my face, the view of the NJ side and NYC side from the bridge.  You would never think that between the two most densely populated areas you would feel so free and so small.  I was even wowed by the simple sight of the small frames of some jet-skiers going up the Hudson several hundred feet below.


Basically, life has been good since I picked up this new hobby.  When I need to drive somewhere and there is something worth looking at I now take a mental note to try and ride to that point to experience it in a different way, to enjoy what the world has to offer.  My life out of work is less stressful, if I can't get something done in the time-frame I was targeting, oh well let me continue it later.  I am huge video game buff and while I still appreciate it as a form of art I lessened the time I spend in front of the screen either to train, or to complete my chores (yes hun).  Of course life is always throwing it's curve-balls but instead of unhealthily stressing out about it I include it while meditating on a ride.  Honestly, problems don't really seem like problems but reveal themselves to be extremely small obstacles in life.


I'll just keep pedaling... on my way to fitness.