Lots of people love cycling. Lots of people love bikes. That much riders can agree on; but then divisions start to form. Some people love mountain biking but don't "get" road cycling. Some people like to ride on the weekends but wouldn't think of commuting on a bike.
I don't feel like I fit into any one category of cyclist. I ride on trails with my 2007 Stumpjumper FSR Expert. I ride on the road with my 2003 Allez Elite. I have commuted in the past on a beater bike. I sometimes race in criteriums, cross-country, and in off-road duathlons. I tour by bike; I climb mountains on the road and on the trail. For me, cycling isn't sliced up into smaller and smaller pieces. It's all one whole; one experience that can be approached in slightly different ways.
Cycling is a state of mind, but it requires something physical. A bike is a material object - a thing - but it assumes meaning to people because of what it allows them to do. We can speed over the ground, roll over dirt and rocks, and fly through the air, all under our own power. Whether railing a turn down buff singletrack or cruising down a rural road on a sunny day, a bike allows us to experience feelings of both exhilaration and peace. But let's face it - with a good bike, it's easier to get those feelings.
I have been serious about riding since 1991, when a high school friend introduced me to mountain biking. I bought a rigid steel Raleigh and rode around the trails of Northern Virginia for years. The short, steep hills and rocks and roots of those trails taught me the skills I use to this day. More importantly, I have many memories of rides with good friends.
I have been through many bikes since that time and have ridden trails of all the places I have lived and visited: New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, and Pennsylvania. Each of those places has something special to offer and has shown me the diversity of trails in this country. Now, living in Southeast Pennsylvania, I ride everything from canal towpaths to the epic singletrack of Blue Marsh Lake.
I like to ride on my own, and I like to ride with others. I like to share my enthusiasm for cycling with others, share the trails I have found, and encourage people to take their riding to the next level. I would love to share my cycling philosophy by being a member of the Specialized Trail Crew.
More info:
Bucks County Cycling (website by me)
Member, Central Bucks Bike Club
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