i wish i had a hobby

that's me, bent over, enjoying a good puke.

a few weeks ago i went mountain biking with a couple of buddies. it had been a long time since my last off-road session; in the neighborhood of nine months. it seems the seminary lifestyle does not encourage the healthy appreciation of a hobby that every man needs. add to that a new girlfriend and you may understand why my hobby time vanished, though it may have been filled with other enjoyable pursuits (such as hanging out with said girlfriend, now fiance, soon to be wife in less than two weeks.) since my engagement i dropped out of seminary, and i'm hoping to reenter on a part-time basis perhaps next fall. the last two months sans school has allowed me the free time even amidst wedding planning and various wedding showers around texas, to re-kindle a once hot hobby-affair; cycling. unfortunately the winter has been cold and wet, leaving the trails sloshy and muddy. alas, i lack a road bike, and a ride on the road is less than desirable on my single-speed beast of a mountain bike.


nevertheless, my mind, when not occupied with my fiance, the wedding, work, church, and whathaveyou, has been resting upon thoughts of that spectacularly-built, simple-machine all mankind knows and loves. i have spent hours online perusing ebay and other dozens of retail sites looking at bikes and parts. i have flipped through hundreds of pages of bicycle magazines reading article after article, trying to fill a void left by poor weather and poorer trail conditions. this time of the year is known as the "off-season" for non-winter sports. i didn't take advantage enough of the previous season so the off-season feels even longer.

my last cycling adventure was not my brightest cycling moment. that's when the delightful picture featured at the top was taken. yep, i vomited right there on the trail.

i've never been afraid of throwing up, especially while doing physically demanding activities. its always freed me up of whatever was slowing me down from the inside, and i'm usually better off for it. here's the break down; i ate pizza right before riding with a couple of guys in much better cycling shape than me. naturally, i tried to keep up. not the best scenario. the guy smiling in the forefront is my friend brent. don't let this picture fool you, the dude can ride...he has just been eating too much of his new wife's good cookin.

after finishing up the business i am proud to say that i got back on the bike with a smile and road the rest of the circuit like a champ. it wasn't the first time i've puked while mountain biking and i'm sure it won't be the last. who knows, it could be next saturday.