On an evening like this
Cycling is bliss
I thank you!
My creative pursuits have currently taken a back seat, and right now I'm not anxious about that: thanks to the weather and other factors, I'm suddenly back into a mode which I would best describe as Cycling Like A Madman. I've probably said similar in previous posts, but it forms an outlet which is obviously quite different to the creative stuff, but is very satisfying in its own right.
You've seen dogs when their owner has taken them to the park and let them off the lead, and they bound about with sheer abandon and their tongues hanging out, spirited and euphoric - that's me that is, when I find I can actually gain speed up hills which used to leave me out of breath (and yes, sometimes my tongue is hanging out...).
I was also pleasantly alarmed to note that the route I'm currently cycling (not literally as I type: that would be foolhardy), last week was taking around 1 hour 41 minutes to complete: this week it's taken me an average of 1 hour 32 minutes.
There's a lyric in Memories Can't Wait by Talking Heads
"there's a party in my mind
and it's never gonna stop"
-and which goes on to say words to the effect of, other people can go home, whereas I'm stuck here and can't leave. Sometimes my own incessant trains of thought feel like that, but a good hour or two of Cycling Like A Madman is the equivalent of a very effective ssshhhhhhhhh!, things get a little quieter up there.
The Hösen few
About Me
The Hösen few
Loiter with intent
- anna mr
- anticant
- avantgardening
- b
- beautiful world
- benches
- but why
- caroline smailes
- charlotte's web
- chasing sheep
- comfort food
- djkirkby
- fire byrd 897
- j.j
- kempfolds
- long stories
- merkin
- ms melancholy
- queen vixen
- signs
- stray
- that's so pants
- the periodic englishman
- velo-gubbed legs
- wayfarer scientista
- zhisou
- zola
6 comments:
,'...and they bound about with sheer abandon and their tongues hanging out..'
I can just imagine you and I hesitate to think what Zola will comment on.
However, I know what you mean.
When I first started training Karate I had one incident after about 6 months hard work which showed me the benefit.
I'd had a business lunch in Glasgow city centre.
I was going back to my car when it started to rain heavily.
Without thinking, I sprinted - or maybe loped - up a long 1 in 4 hill to the top.
Even I was shocked, not a breath out of place.
I felt like James Bond.
As for now? Doesn't bear thinking about.
I do still shuffle about with my tongue hanging out, like Benny Hill on a bad day, must be said.
On the general point about the soulful benefits of physical activity, I do have a comment.
At one point, when I was severely stressed a number of years ago, I was forced to take a job working on a recycling lorry picking up bags of newspapers from houses.
Lift , carry, throw all day, no thought required.
It was just wonderful.
No responsibilty and lots of time to work things through while I was on automatic pilot just lifting and throwing.
Did the trick.
I've seen Trousers
With his tongue hanging out
Showing off again and again
No doubt.
With his bicycle a'raging
And his short-shorts never caging
Out Trousers has an outlet
For his wild wanton wick.
Round and round went the fucking great wheels
Ding dong ding dong went his bells of steel.
Trousers now is satisfied, gratified and vilified
Cycling like a mad man
With it all hanging out.
Love the idea of you enjoying the the sheer mindless physicality of your body as you turn into a cycling mad max.
I think I fancy a bit of that.
I loved reading your post.
Perhaps I should take up cycling to quieten my head. However in all that rubbish (in one's head) there is always so much that you can dig out and plant on your blog isn't there?
PS I found you at Bobo's.
Sounds like a starter for another rip roaring "Three Men on the Bummel" to me.
Loved that comment merk. Last time I was in London and had got off the tube train, I was heading back up to ground level and, rather than get the escalator, I ran up the stairs. Very satisfying.
I was nodding with a certain amount of understanding with the second part of what you said: sometimes I would like a job, maybe for a few months, which would be about physical effort rather than thought. For a while at least, that would seem like bliss...
zola, once again, I'm not worthy! That really made me laugh :)
bobo, I would say go for it - but then it's hardly a surprise that I would recommend it following what I wrote in the post....if I remember rightly, do you go running? I prefer cycling now because it's less stress on the joints.
suburbia, hello and welcome, and do drop by again if you so wish. I think it's a case of finding the balance between the noise and the quiet (too much quiet would, as you suggest, less interesting). Thing is, it's also a case of taking advantage of the weather - remembering how last summer ended up, it would feel silly not to make the most of how things are right now.
biker etc, I know not of that to which you refer...
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