I've
been riding a bicycle of one sort or another for nearly all my life. From
my first 3 wheeler as a child to my current fully suspended mountain bike…..cycling
has been a source of joy, exercise, camaraderie, transportation and even
income to me.
After
my 1980 knee surgery, bicycling also became rehabilitative therapy
for my knee. Cycling strengthens the muscles which surround and stabilize
the knee and the rotary motion and lack of impact would help the recently
drilled bone surfaces heal. "Spinning" (pedaling at high r.p.m. with little
resistance) also seems to help fluid exchange and reduce swelling in the
joint. By then I had long been using my bike as a means of exercise and
endorphin fixes so this just added another reason to ride. As I increased
my riding endurance, I also discovered a very meditative and problem solving
component to my workouts. Those long hill climbs force you into being
very focused on your breathing, which is a known meditative technique.
While in this state of rhythmic, endorphin soaked bliss, my mind goes
to work on whatever challenges or stresses are confronting me at the time.
Often I visualize the damaged, rough surfaces inside my knee being sculpted
round and smooth by the thousands of revolutions of the pedals (see also
VISUALIZATION).
In
1985, I purchased my first off-road or mountain bike. As I live among
the towering peaks of the Sierra Nevada, that was a logical progression.
Mountain biking was a relatively new sport and after years of dodging
(and 3 collisions with) cars……I was ready to get off the street and start
doin' it in the dirt! Mountain biking gives you access to areas that cannot
be reached by a road bike. The added dimension of riding over rocks and
logs and through creek and stream crossings presented a new challenge
that required learning a whole new set of skills. The joy and beautiful
vistas that mountain biking has added to my life have kept me from getting
burned out on the many hours of cycling I do every week throughout most
of the year. I still, however, enjoy occasional road rides on quiet streets
with wide shoulders.
I
would encourage anyone who does not cycle regularly to explore this most
efficient form of human powered locomotion . It's an excellent work-out
and very easy on the joints. The whole family can participate so it's
a great way to socialize with friends and loved ones and still get some
exercise. Current thinking holds that movement is the best antidote to
the gradual loss of function in our joints……use it or lose it!.
See you out on the trails, roads and bike paths……………
I've
been riding a bicycle of one sort or another for nearly all my life. From
my first 3 wheeler as a child to my current fully suspended mountain bike…..cycling
has been a source of joy, exercise, camaraderie, transportation and even
income to me. 
After
my 1980 knee surgery, bicycling also became rehabilitative therapy
for my knee. Cycling strengthens the muscles which surround and stabilize
the knee and the rotary motion and lack of impact would help the recently
drilled bone surfaces heal. "Spinning" (pedaling at high r.p.m. with little
resistance) also seems to help fluid exchange and reduce swelling in the
joint. By then I had long been using my bike as a means of exercise and
endorphin fixes so this just added another reason to ride. As I increased
my riding endurance, I also discovered a very meditative and problem solving
component to my workouts. Those long hill climbs force you into being
very focused on your breathing, which is a known meditative technique.
While in this state of rhythmic, endorphin soaked bliss, my mind goes
to work on whatever challenges or stresses are confronting me at the time.
Often I visualize the damaged, rough surfaces inside my knee being sculpted
round and smooth by the thousands of revolutions of the pedals (see also
In
1985, I purchased my first off-road or mountain bike. As I live among
the towering peaks of the Sierra Nevada, that was a logical progression.
Mountain biking was a relatively new sport and after years of dodging
(and 3 collisions with) cars……I was ready to get off the street and start
doin' it in the dirt! Mountain biking gives you access to areas that cannot
be reached by a road bike. The added dimension of riding over rocks and
logs and through creek and stream crossings presented a new challenge
that required learning a whole new set of skills. The joy and beautiful
vistas that mountain biking has added to my life have kept me from getting
burned out on the many hours of cycling I do every week throughout most
of the year. I still, however, enjoy occasional road rides on quiet streets
with wide shoulders.
I
would encourage anyone who does not cycle regularly to explore this most
efficient form of human powered locomotion . It's an excellent work-out
and very easy on the joints. The whole family can participate so it's
a great way to socialize with friends and loved ones and still get some
exercise. Current thinking holds that movement is the best antidote to
the gradual loss of function in our joints……use it or lose it!.