My birthplace was Astoria. As a child I also lived in Eugene and Portland. Then without any consultation whatever my parents relocated me to Kansas City, Missouri.
I flew into Portland to participate in the US Masters National Road Cycling Championships held in Bend a few years back. After a rather lackluster performance, my wife and I left the Oregon desert and worked our way back to Portland along the west side of the Cascades. Visited Corvallis, Salem, Eugene and Astoria. It is truly a lovely part of our planet. (Drivers seem to be markedly more cautious as well.)
The trend towards stasis in human institutions extends to cycling. Despite the introduction of carbon fiber frames, the road racing regulatory body clings to the form and weight of the classic bicycle of my former professional triathlon days. The triathlon regulators are much more willing to embrace change. (A dramatic high speed head on collision with a car on a training ride that nearly killed me forestalled any further participation in triathlon, but thankfully, I can still ride.)
So joy for me takes less effort. I ride my mountain bike on beautiful trails close by my upstate New York home.
I spend time trying to understand the greed that motivates our billionaires to despoil our lovely planet, but constantly realize my grey cells are not up to that challenge and go take a ride.
My birthplace was Astoria. As a child I also lived in Eugene and Portland. Then without any consultation whatever my parents relocated me to Kansas City, Missouri.
I flew into Portland to participate in the US Masters National Road Cycling Championships held in Bend a few years back. After a rather lackluster performance, my wife and I left the Oregon desert and worked our way back to Portland along the west side of the Cascades. Visited Corvallis, Salem, Eugene and Astoria. It is truly a lovely part of our planet. (Drivers seem to be markedly more cautious as well.)
The trend towards stasis in human institutions extends to cycling. Despite the introduction of carbon fiber frames, the road racing regulatory body clings to the form and weight of the classic bicycle of my former professional triathlon days. The triathlon regulators are much more willing to embrace change. (A dramatic high speed head on collision with a car on a training ride that nearly killed me forestalled any further participation in triathlon, but thankfully, I can still ride.)
So joy for me takes less effort. I ride my mountain bike on beautiful trails close by my upstate New York home.
I spend time trying to understand the greed that motivates our billionaires to despoil our lovely planet, but constantly realize my grey cells are not up to that challenge and go take a ride.
I going to get some cycling kit on now ...