This came up in conversation the other day.
So, I’ve been biking to work for almost 2 years now, with a gap in my cycling because of my stolen bike. I have become happier, healthier, and more in shape than I’ve ever been before. The things I’ve been able to do, the speeds I’ve been able to reach, it’s all great.
I know what’s going to happen if I stop. The fattest I’ve ever been was the winter after my bike got stolen. I felt horribly meh that winter.
I’ve made other changes over the past few years as well. I don’t buy bread anymore, I make it myself. Building on that, I’ve dramatically cut back on the number of second-order and third-order foods I purchase, such that I bring my own homemade lunch every day to work. I’ve been watching my caloric intake, because exercise alone isn’t enough to make me a little thinner. We’ve been wasting less food and generating less trash.
The problem is, some of this is out of my control. What if my commute becomes unbikeable because my worksite or living space moves? My ability to get exercise on a consistent basis is built around my bicycle commute, if you take that away, will my cycling taper off into nothingness?
I think this may explain some of my recent dreams, which have revolved around catastrophic bike failures.