Born again

Last year I was invited to ride with in a five man team across Canada. I accepted this opportunity and began that journey. I received a bike for the venture and was able to keep it after the event – a wonderful surprise.

With over 5000kms on the bike, it came to my attention after stp that the frame was compromised and riding it was prescribed as dangerous. In total disbelief I had to accept that I wasn’t riding that bike again.

I wasn’t too worried, worst case I had another bike, which I ironically was selling but to be totally honest, I didn’t want to get on an aluminum bike after riding a full carbon cycle. I subsequently took a brief hiatus from riding. I rode my old bike once with a customer and it was pretty fun, but I had flat pedals and ended up breaking one on the ride. I was laughing about wrecking gear – something I do a lot of…225lbs can cause havoc on equipment in general.

Fast forward

On Friday I went to John Henry because I got a call asking me to pop by for a fitting. I rolled in there and managed to get the bike on my bike rack in less than 5min. Willie wasn’t there and the guys that were there didn’t know what to do – I was floating as I rolled it out of there. Home in 20 and on the bike in 5!

I eye balled the seat height and pushed up my driveway. Within 30feet I felt it. I pushed down and pulled up on the pedals at the same time, the bike surged forward and cut the road as I repeated this motion – I took a huge breath and exhaled…I was born again and could feel that freedom I had been missing.

The next thing I knew I was going 70km/hr down main and heading for 2^nd – an opening in the traffic, a slight break and I was at Cambie. Wouldn’t even want to know my heart rate, but my knee was yelling at me to slow down. All good – ‘the pain is worth it’, I thought. I was so happy to be gliding again – everything was so tight and fresh.

I rode again on Sunday and then dropped the bike back at John Henry. A couple more parts to add and a fitting this week will get me full circle. Back on a red version of what I had and back doing something that I am passionate for.

Now how about we find something that someone was once passionate about and get them back to that place again – a place where they can fully exhale!

Don’t let anyone (or yourself for that matter), hang up a passion…