Freedom On Two Wheels

So I am not going to tell you a lot about myself, that's not why you are here and frankly you are busy and don't care right? Great! let's move on. I am a male in my 30's, From a generation built on pop culture of Saturday morning cartoons, sugar topped breakfast cereals, and Hockey cards in our bicycle spokes.
( Vroom ) I guess that is about one of my first and earliest happy memories on a bike. The sound a card makes on your spokes as you pedal your little heart out pretending to race motorcycles with your friends down a Dusky neighborhood lane, the street lights just starting to buzz with the electricity of the night.

Jumping 25 years into the future I found myself at work, sitting at a Desk monitoring Security alarms. As I returned from grabbing my lunch (Usually Mcdonalds) I tucked myself into my work station and pulled my chair up to the desk and I noticed my desk was pressed into my stomach! 

Never have I been a very skinny person, For reference, I was 6'1 & 240lbs!
I felt pretty upset with myself, mostly that I had not noticed all the weight I gained. I started realizing how uncomfortable I was in my clothes, my shirts felt tight and clingy, my pants would not stay up properly. After Speaking to my Fiancee about how to best exercise and figure out what method would be best for me ( She has always been there to discuss ideas and give great feedback )
I decided to do what I had the happiest memories associated with and that was cycling.
I checked out some bikes online and after a few weeks, I found a great condition barely used 9-year-old Norco Hardtail with 26" wheels and a large frame.
The guy was asking $300 so I could not resist checking it out, so I bought a helmet and bussed over to take a look. Once I saw it and rode it around the park I knew this was going to be my next bike! I gave the man his money and prepared to ride my new bike home.
Problem... I am 240lbs out of shape and 10km from home!
Let the training begin, I buckle my helmet, swing on my backpack, drink some water, and off I go. At this point, I have not ridden a bike since I was 16, so 16ish years. I was not going to let that stop or slow me down though. 
I set up for what at the time I considered a long bike ride, 9 whole kilometers in the summer sun. I don't remember the exact temperature but this was during the heat waves around 2018. My area gets hot! scorching hot! like cooking on the sidewalk hot! So off I went through the heat, fully enjoying my new bike.
The breeze flowing over me, the ground rolling under me, the scenery blurring past me as all those years of childhood cycling and mountain biking come rushing back in a warm sensation of pure happiness and freedom. I started to play around a little with the bike, relearning the skills I had engrained into myself. I quickly learned I was not in the shape needed to be having such fun, I was getting exhausted fast. I decided it was best to just focus on getting home, so I started to enjoy the cruise.

That first summer, my bike and I were inseparable, I rode everywhere, every day.  I have hooked myself again, Getting on that bike made me feel great! Every day that I rode, I could feel myself getting stronger and healthier, wanting to ride farther and longer. On the days where the weather did not agree with a ride, I could feel my legs begging for it. 
I discovered changing my diet would give me better fuel for the legs, so I gave up a lot of fast foods and sugary drinks, sodas, candy, chocolate, it all had to go.
I ate so much Taco salad and raw veggies. (not complaining) 
Over the next few short months, I joined a cycling club X-country and city rides and even charted a few rides myself. 

Every time I went out, it was a personal challenge for me to bike my heart out, almost literally!
I would look for a longer trail, a steeper hill to climb, or more weight to carry.
My club rides were so much fun, you don't realize how far you're going or how much you're legs hurt, finding a new trail you didn't know about before from a new friend. I discovered Mountain Trails just a short 15 min train ride away and had so much fun navigating the wooden features, scrambling up the tree roots, over rock gardens. Over that summer I went from 240lbs down to 185lbs !!
I lost 55lbs! I could not believe it! None of my clothes fit, but in a better way than before. A good way.
The very next summer I bought my Fiancee a bike too, she saw all the fun I was having and wanted in. She was a little hesitant at first towards riding a bike, she knows how, she was always more inclined to jump on a skateboard instead, and was the one to teach me how to longboard. We bought Super bright lights so we could ride at night and enjoy the cool night breeze after a scorching summer day, together we were getting healthier and happier.
It has been 3 years since buying that 2nd hand bike for just a few hundred dollars and money well spent! You could probably spend more on a gym membership in 6 months and see no results, by using my bike not only as a means of exercise but also for travel and fun, I was keeping myself and my fiancee healthy by giving myself daily exercise and by getting my loved one involved we did it together supporting each other throughout the whole experience. Now all I want is to buy more bikes for different disciplines, DownHill, Racing, X-Country, City. Like pokemon, I Gotta have them all!
ShatterBrainz

All images sourced free from:
pexels.com
Unsplash.com
Pixabay.com