Come to think of it, there's a lot of going for me right now

[weisan]

I can't help but feel very contended and grateful these days considering what I have.

[x] Have all the time I need to ride

- having a supportive spouse and family and striking a balance between my responsibilities both at home and at work have allowed me ample time to ride during the weekend as well as during the week.

[x] My cycling fitness is currently at the best it had ever been

- losing 20+ pounds a few months ago sort of set everything in motion and was the impetus that lay the foundation to a much fitter and healthier me. No more back pain. I can pretty much do what I want on the bike these days, it's up to me how hard I want to push. No injury or accident, crash whatsoever, that's another extra bonus.

[x] Nice, smooth, safe, quiet, country, paved and gravel roads close by.

- where we currently lived put me right at the doorstep of some of the best riding roads in the state. Not just road riding but world-class gravels can be had within an hour or two drive away.


[x] road, gravel, mtb, travel, fat tire, around town, touring - all my bases are covered

- I like to have a dedicated bike for every occasion and after years of patient acquisition, I believed I have reached my goal.

[x] great cycling buddies

- I have a really nice group of cycling buddies that I ride with regularly and one or two that lived close by that I can call on anytime and we are compatible in terms of fitness and cycling philosophy. If I so choose, I can ride solo and I enjoy that too.


[x] having all necessary skills, parts and tools to overhaul, build bikes in my own garage

- I like the idea of self-sufficiency, that I can do everything I need or mostly what I need right here in my garage without having to go into the bike shop. And I enjoy wrenching as much as riding so this part is easy. Also, having the work space and the storage area afforded by a third car garage is really nice.

[x] achieving optimal fit on the bike

- I have to admit...this took years of honing, adjusting, experimenting, knowing, learning to get here and it's still an ongoing journey. But now, I can jump on a bike, any bike, and within a few pedal strokes be able to tell what needs to be adjusted to get to my optimal position without using a tape or look back at my notes. It's become second nature and highly tuned to the feedback of my own body

What about you?

[joosttx]

I am thankful and feel blessed for the cycling side of my life. But I will never achieve the fitness of me at 22 racing mountain bikes.

[Clean39T]

Thanks for putting this positivity out there. I'm feeling kind of chagrined for the negativity of my post about drivers and close-calls today. I have so much to be grateful for and so much to celebrate...

+ New job that's freeing up time for more healthful living and giving me the chance to relocate for new adventures

+ A couple bikes I love and so many instances of fun trying-out stuff and working on stuff and talking to folks about stuff

+ Coffee

+ My maine coone seems to be doing a bit better even though he's getting old and won't be with us too much longer, it makes me really happy to see him seemingly feeling good and enjoying life

+ It's 100deg in Portland, and we have A/C

+ I have time and financial means to have a hobby

[oldpotatoe]

What about you?

(X)I am healthy, happy. As are my 2 grown children, my daughter in law and my 2 beautiful grandkids

(X)My wheelbulding biz is going great guns, wheelbuilding a 'pastime' that brings calm and sense of accomplishment.

(X)I am financially secure

(X)I live in a great community, have close friends, I can play ping-pong once a week with 2 of them.

(X)I am lucky enough to wander around this forum and read, enjoy, scratch my head, argue with the varied ideas, personalities and subjects.

(X)I just scored a really great piece of gear, another tool..Not a bike anything, rhymes with 'clock'

Life is good





Oh, and I ride my bike every once in a while..it's pretty keen...

[bigbill]

Well, I'm going through a lot of challenges but none of them are overwhelming.

1. Going through a divorce, we knew it was coming but we focused on getting the kid out of high school. No child support (kid is 18), spousal support for 4 years (my proposal), and part of my military retirement.

2. Said kid is a plebe at the Naval Academy, pretty far away and mostly involves me flying to BWI to see him at school.

3. Took a severance package back in May, I got to spend a lot of time with my son before dropping him at Annapolis.

4. Got a new job in a new location, pays much better than the one I left in May. When I retired from the Navy in 2012, I took a step down to be an engineer in a small town in Texas so my kid would have stability and better proximity to family. It worked. Now I've got an Engineering Manager job, more of what I should have gotten in 2012.

5. New job is in Kingman, AZ, a place most people think of as a place to get gas on the way to CA. Cycling will change, probably less road and more gravel/MTB. A good place to figure out life.

6. Financial security, even with the spousal support, I'll still have more than enough. I plan on putting the max into my 401.

7. Moving is stressful, the soon-to-be-ex has packed her stuff up, I just need it gone soon so I can get my stuff packed out by the end of the month. I have to make a business trip the week before my stuff gets packed.

8. I got a good relocation package, I don't have to pack my stuff, a company will do that.

9. I'm going to buy a new truck. My current F150 has 82K miles and I'll want a 4X4 where I'm going. I'm going to trade in my F150 and my son's Focus. He can't have a car until he's a junior and I don't want to move his car. Engineering Managers drive trucks. Plus I need to buy it now, I'll buy a new home next spring.

10. A lot going on.

[rzthomas]

I'm a mixed bag, but overall things are good.

1. The big thing, I'm having open heart surgery in two days to fix a congenital defect in my left main coronary discovered during an exam for something else. The defect is the kind of thing that fells endurance athletes. The doc said I can probably get back to riding indoors in a week or two if I'm very careful with my sternum.

2. Two amazing daughters: 3 1/2 years and 7 months old. They bring me so much joy.

3. Great health at 38, other than #1.

4. An awesome set of coworkers, friends, and family who are dropping what they're doing to help us out while I recover.

5. A wife who supports all that I want to do.

6. Rewarding work that offers its challenges, stresses, and joys.

7. A historical home that I'm renovating that like $6 also offers challenges, stresses, and joys.

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by rzthomas

I'm a mixed bag, but overall things are good.

1. The big thing, I'm having open heart surgery in two days to fix a congenital defect in my left main coronary discovered during an exam for something else. The defect is the kind of thing that fells endurance athletes. The doc said I can probably get back to riding indoors in a week or two if I'm very careful with my sternum.

2. Two amazing daughters: 3 1/2 years and 7 months old. They bring me so much joy.

3. Great health at 38, other than #1.

4. An awesome set of coworkers, friends, and family who are dropping what they're doing to help us out while I recover.

5. A wife who supports all that I want to do.

6. Rewarding work that offers its challenges, stresses, and joys.

7. A historical home that I'm renovating that like $6 also offers challenges, stresses, and joys.

Wishing you well on #1 - and am happy for you that it was discovered at a point where it was treatable safely, not something to be reacted to...

Best of luck with the recovery.

[Burnette]

The only part lacking for me is saddle time on the bike on the road.
My job is awesome, love what I do and business is booming with hiring and investment.

I'm spending more time with my wife and daughter, so my quality of life is better now too. I'm learning to cook more as I get home with the princess before mom gets home. Helping with school work has been fun too and just hanging out with my daughter is just the best.

I have a bit more free time in the home to where I picked up my writing, drawing and painting again. I had forgotten how much fun all of that is and how by opening the creative side it has a positive effect on other things I'm doing.

My 401k is bonkers, last statement showed a high percentage gain and I'm on track to a nice retirement.

I'm tight with my money. Got that from my dad. My cell phone is six years old, cost about about two hundred dollars back then (I complained about it, Ha!), works out to about thirty dollars a year. Well, the phone is of course getting buggy, my wife convinced me to get the phone I want now, it's on sale, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is three hundred dollars off. It will arrive next Friday.

I work with engineers and the Note 8 will allow me to take photos and write on them and then send them instantly. It will be a time saver and a cool new toy for me to play with. I hope it holds up well, I'll have to keep it a long time for it to be as cheap to own as my old phone, Ha!