A very strong point I think many realize but fail to apply for the benefit of any riding group. It was the lacking sentiment that sent me to the trails to find my own biking enjoyment a long time ago. Knowing it is possible for myself allows me to do keep the riding fun for others. Less process, more objective than any destination or timetable.
I was a recipient of this valuable lesson in an activity driven by the ambition and objectives of others at the expense of others making up my group. When I was a 14 year old Boy Scout I went to the Philmont Ranch with a neighborhood troop not my own, I wasn't of the minimum age when mine took their alternating year trip the summer before. They had an ambitious itinerary picked by the adults that did it all. We also carried everything for our trip after day two over those miles including water into the dry camps. We had many 20+ mile days and often arrived at the destination sites where topical programming was a highlight, too late for those activities, hurrying to put up our tents and boil our water for dinner before it was dark. Not a happy crew at all and I remember getting to know everyone more as our afternoons turned into "death marches" against the remaining miles and sunset, redirecting their anger over missing out on a mine tour or chuck wagon dinner program and looking at how much more countryside we were seeing, how much change we saw in each day's hiking and how others will stare in disbelief when they would tell their stories about that trip. I never expect others to learn through suffering, certainly not about something that should be enjoyed. If it's your own gift to do so, appreciate your patience, perseverance, and insight, never assume it of others. It's just good manners to show others the good stuff. Andy Cheatham Pittsburgh On Thursday, April 24, 2014 8:28:54 PM UTC-4, Deacon Patrick wrote: > > My wife doesn't feel comfortable on a bike yet and I haven't been able to > get her willing to ride one long enough to get comfortable, especially > since she has at least one wee one to haul. The way we do bikepacking is > pick a destination she can easily hike to just a few miles in. The older > lassies and I ride in loaded with stuff for 6 on our three bikes. I'll make > multiple trips if need be. We try and do a few of those a year, and I do > 1-2 3-5 day tours with the older lassies each year. > > We mostly focus on the question "What do we want to create?" Answer: > family time in the remote and quiet wilderness. How we each get there is up > for grabs. > > With abandon, > Patrick > > On Thursday, April 24, 2014 6:11:43 PM UTC-6, WETH wrote: >> >> Dear Howard, >> Thanks. In terms of my wife and riding, it has been an evolution. >> Three years ago I was hoping she would ride more with me, and I never >> thought she'd do an overnight. We started with very short neighborhood >> rides, often with the kids. As she complained about bike fit, I replaced >> the offending item: new saddle, albatross bars.... Until finally last >> summer we got up to 30 mile rides and she remained relatively comfortable >> and really grew to enjoy riding. Finally she gave me the green light to >> build her a bike. So I bought a used surly LHT, powder coated it orange >> (her choice) and gave her a classic Riv build. She kept her funky spider >> flex saddle which she swears by. With the new bike, I dialed in her fit to >> maximize longer distances at slower speeds in relative comfort. >> The other approach I took, which was harder, was to remind myself to take >> it easy and not to sprint ahead on rides. That was hard at first because I >> commute a lot, and it was a challenge to conscientiously match her more >> leisurely pace. I often let her take the lead or we cycle side by side and >> chat. She in turn has helped me appreciate a more serene way of biking. >> All the best, >> Erl >> > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
