catulle
04-14-2006, 03:17 PM
When I first found this place, I was apprehensive about participating. All too often, Internet forums (fora?) are populated by hideous types who make use of the security afforded by the medium to be offensive and rude. However, soon enough, I found myself totally immersed in this hood where humor, camaraderie, and colaboration prevail.
But not only do I get my daily abs work-out from laughing so much when reading some of the posts here, I've learned a lot about modern cycling and bicycles. And about vintage cycling and vintage bicycles too. I've also learned a new language: atmo, imho, iirc, mp, et al... More importantly, I've been able to keep in touch with some good friends.
Today, though, I decided to make use of the opportunity that on Good Friday people here stay home and don't drive because it is supposed to be a sin or something, so ventured to take a ride I had been thinking about for a long time. I hadn't done it before because the ride entails lots of steep hills and I kept postponing it. But how could I postpone the trip once again when the guys at the Serotta Forum are doing centuries (in miles...!) every other day? I could no longer face the keyboard unless I packed my Polar bottle with cold water and headed towards my challenge.
It wasn't a very long ride, some 60 kilometers. But for a flatlander such as myself this trip was like climbing, hell, not the Alps, but the Himalayas. Surprisingly, the ride was not as difficult as I had thought. The C-50, well, now I know when people say "my bike climbs very well". Really, the bicycle seemed to help on the way up. The 23 cog was like having a little motor. On the way up it was drizzling and the wind was blowing pretty hard against me. But I just put my mind in neutral, and my butt in gear.
On the way back, speeding on a pretty uneven road surface got pretty scary at times. The 40cm bars are not the very best for hawling butt down a steep hill on 53X12, either. But if you manage to switch your thoughts to hey, this is fun, then it will be fun. When I finally got back home, the missus said, are you sure you went there, you don't look it. Well, girl, I sure like hell wasn't in Provo, I'm sad to say.
Anyway, my point is that without the Serotta Forum that ride would probably still be waiting. Hey, this a very good place. It is good for my soul and it is good for my body. Thank y'all. :beer:
But not only do I get my daily abs work-out from laughing so much when reading some of the posts here, I've learned a lot about modern cycling and bicycles. And about vintage cycling and vintage bicycles too. I've also learned a new language: atmo, imho, iirc, mp, et al... More importantly, I've been able to keep in touch with some good friends.
Today, though, I decided to make use of the opportunity that on Good Friday people here stay home and don't drive because it is supposed to be a sin or something, so ventured to take a ride I had been thinking about for a long time. I hadn't done it before because the ride entails lots of steep hills and I kept postponing it. But how could I postpone the trip once again when the guys at the Serotta Forum are doing centuries (in miles...!) every other day? I could no longer face the keyboard unless I packed my Polar bottle with cold water and headed towards my challenge.
It wasn't a very long ride, some 60 kilometers. But for a flatlander such as myself this trip was like climbing, hell, not the Alps, but the Himalayas. Surprisingly, the ride was not as difficult as I had thought. The C-50, well, now I know when people say "my bike climbs very well". Really, the bicycle seemed to help on the way up. The 23 cog was like having a little motor. On the way up it was drizzling and the wind was blowing pretty hard against me. But I just put my mind in neutral, and my butt in gear.
On the way back, speeding on a pretty uneven road surface got pretty scary at times. The 40cm bars are not the very best for hawling butt down a steep hill on 53X12, either. But if you manage to switch your thoughts to hey, this is fun, then it will be fun. When I finally got back home, the missus said, are you sure you went there, you don't look it. Well, girl, I sure like hell wasn't in Provo, I'm sad to say.
Anyway, my point is that without the Serotta Forum that ride would probably still be waiting. Hey, this a very good place. It is good for my soul and it is good for my body. Thank y'all. :beer: