Cycling is like life. Cycling with no goal is meaningless. What meaning is there cycling in circles? Or living aimlessly? Meaning comes from direction and destination. Join me in my life's journey on a mountain bike :)

Blogging since 2003. Thank you for reading :))

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Survival of the adaptable

Jun distance: 150 km

Old Upper Thomson Road, 42 km. It's been  long time (21 Dec 2011, to be precise) since I last did "circuit training". Instead of braving the traffic on the busy roads, I take the old, lonely road. No traffic, just a couple of joggers, the occasional cyclist, a lone monkey. And eight wild boars; four adults,four kids. I tap my brake levers to give them early warning that I'm passing into their personal space. I'm glad they don't bowl me over as they cross at right angles to my direction and crash into the undergrowth ahead of me.

I used to cycle with a headband, as dripping sweat would sting my eyes otherwise. It's been a sultry hot day but since I cycle at night, I skip the band. No sweat. I don't need it.

At work, I've got a key position unfilled, for the first time. The workload is split among the team. I'm the point man now. And the rainmaker too. All firsts. I hope it works out. Still, I've been through worst. And it's a good ride today.

Oh, what am I training for? A charity ride next month. My first one with downhill rims. No more wussy slick tyres.

Saturday, June 08, 2013

Peace and quiet - not

Woodlands 55 km. Thunder rumbles in the distance. Nearby, a party blasts away. It is such a party, a Red Rhino and its civil defence crew is on standby nearby. The noise gets to me, so I roll out. It is drizzling.

I've not cycled at night for a long time. It is cool and quiet. I like cycling. A well-tuned bicycle is quiet efficiency. I explore a road I've never been on, and add 10% to my usual distance.

I'm 30 minutes away from home when there's a flurry of frenzy. Dogs. A pack by the road. They bark. A black one lunges out. I yell at it and take evasive action. Good thing there's no traffic behind me and no traffic lights in front. Otherwise, I might have become minced meat.

Sunday, June 02, 2013

Flexibility and opportunity


Woodands, 53 km. It's a routine now. Rest and relax first part of the day, then cycle. But when it's about time to cycle, it rains. Ok then, I'm flexibe, I can chill more. A short while later, the rain stops.

Today, I read about a businessman. Actually, a businessyouth. He sold roasted chestnuts in supermarkets till the latter got acquired by a western chain. "What's with the smell and smoke?" the new owners ask. He gets cooking hobs installed and ceiling painted each night. Then he roasts the nuts elsewhere and sells them in the supermarkets. Business falls. What's roasted chestnuts without roasting? To cut a long story short, he sells roasted seaweed now, nicely wrapped in resealable bags. In several countries.

If his family wasn't in debt, he wouldn't have gone into business. If the supermarkets hadn't been acquired, he wouldn't have diversified.  He says his succcess came from problems.