I guess some of us all get to this point in our retro bike lives and it seems to have caught up with me. It's been over a year since I last turned a pedal :cry: . With a big garden to keep, other projects to work on and a year old Labrador to walk and exercise and work I literally have no time for bikes...
...the worst part of it is I'm not missing it I get plenty of exercise walking the dog and working and my creativity is satisfied with building/ working on other projects all which give me immense enjoyment, although I still feel an attachment to my bikes its not the same anymore I'm just inclined to see them as potential funds for other projects. Me and mrsbling have been getting into gardening over the lock down growing our own fruit & vegetables with a good deal of success and plan to grow more next year new planters to be made soil to dig more weeding its constant.
Disco needs his exercise everyday, needs playtime with me too. He has been a massive influence in my life and all decisions take him into consideration. I knew getting dog was going to be a big responsibility and I'm not one to shirk it he will have the best life I can possibly give him. It's not fair on him to leave him by himself for 3-4 hours if I'm off out riding and the missus is working away from home. I did consider the possibility of him being a trail hound but the effects it could have on him in the long term are not worth the risk like joint problems in his old age.
Some of you know that my wife is the main earner in our house and I'm not ashamed either I kept house did the DIY and everything else but since lockdown all that changed missus has had no work for 4 months and is starting to suffer from depression its pretty hard to watch your wife burst into tears with no warning and not being able to help her. she misses her work we tried having routines and keeping busy but for her its not the same being a clinic coder she's happier using her head rather than her hands and until the hospitals are in full swing its going to take a bit longer to get her back to work as she is self employed (the type that gets fuc*all help from the government). So work wise I'm doing all I can with odd jobs for people fixing lawn mowers fitting bathrooms, raised deckings on static caravans people are keeping me busy thankfully.
and then on to other projects I did start last year to up cycle old bike parts to make desk lamps plant stands seat etc and its something I enjoy and would like to see if I can take it further.
And then there are the cars I've always been a petrol head, I love my motorsport as much as I like watching the Gran tours, Classics etc. But as the wife wouldn't stand by the roadside for 2hrs to see a brief glimpse of a road race she will quite happily go along to a car show all day. Just before February I had the chance to buy a Subaru Impreza WRX STI JDM spec (import for those that don't know) The idea was to buy it fix it up and sell it well the first 2 parts of the plan went perfectly the 3rd not so good due to covid it wasn't selling and people where offering stupid money for it so I pulled the sale and parked it up... then a couple of weeks ago I decided to put it on the road it was a big mistake 286bhp 4wheel drive its a beast why would I want to sell it. Second point to keeping it they are becoming scarce my version was a popular choice as a donor for other scoobys so its going to increase in value as a modern classic I want to get it to concors standard and that takes time and money (see bikes hanging on the wall). Also the wife's MG midget she now wants a colour swap and engine conversion theres another 2 years (if I'm lucky) gone by . Oh and a Discovery 3 thats a hobby not just a car anymore.
Unfortunately for me I'm the only cyclist in the hamlet (am I even a cyclist now ?) and with no one to ride with or share the passion the love of bikes has died. So is it time for me to hang up the wheels sell everything and let it go. I always wondered if I got back into cycling for nostalgic reason and these have now been sated its not as fun anymore with the cancelations of Mayhem and Velo retro I really had nothing to look forward to, now if I'm feeling a bit meh I can take Disco out in the car, park up. go for a walk and pick blackberries go home and make some blackberry wine and feed the chickens.
If you read this all the way through well done and thanks sometimes its good to talk if only through a keyboard
...the worst part of it is I'm not missing it I get plenty of exercise walking the dog and working and my creativity is satisfied with building/ working on other projects all which give me immense enjoyment, although I still feel an attachment to my bikes its not the same anymore I'm just inclined to see them as potential funds for other projects. Me and mrsbling have been getting into gardening over the lock down growing our own fruit & vegetables with a good deal of success and plan to grow more next year new planters to be made soil to dig more weeding its constant.
Disco needs his exercise everyday, needs playtime with me too. He has been a massive influence in my life and all decisions take him into consideration. I knew getting dog was going to be a big responsibility and I'm not one to shirk it he will have the best life I can possibly give him. It's not fair on him to leave him by himself for 3-4 hours if I'm off out riding and the missus is working away from home. I did consider the possibility of him being a trail hound but the effects it could have on him in the long term are not worth the risk like joint problems in his old age.
Some of you know that my wife is the main earner in our house and I'm not ashamed either I kept house did the DIY and everything else but since lockdown all that changed missus has had no work for 4 months and is starting to suffer from depression its pretty hard to watch your wife burst into tears with no warning and not being able to help her. she misses her work we tried having routines and keeping busy but for her its not the same being a clinic coder she's happier using her head rather than her hands and until the hospitals are in full swing its going to take a bit longer to get her back to work as she is self employed (the type that gets fuc*all help from the government). So work wise I'm doing all I can with odd jobs for people fixing lawn mowers fitting bathrooms, raised deckings on static caravans people are keeping me busy thankfully.
and then on to other projects I did start last year to up cycle old bike parts to make desk lamps plant stands seat etc and its something I enjoy and would like to see if I can take it further.
And then there are the cars I've always been a petrol head, I love my motorsport as much as I like watching the Gran tours, Classics etc. But as the wife wouldn't stand by the roadside for 2hrs to see a brief glimpse of a road race she will quite happily go along to a car show all day. Just before February I had the chance to buy a Subaru Impreza WRX STI JDM spec (import for those that don't know) The idea was to buy it fix it up and sell it well the first 2 parts of the plan went perfectly the 3rd not so good due to covid it wasn't selling and people where offering stupid money for it so I pulled the sale and parked it up... then a couple of weeks ago I decided to put it on the road it was a big mistake 286bhp 4wheel drive its a beast why would I want to sell it. Second point to keeping it they are becoming scarce my version was a popular choice as a donor for other scoobys so its going to increase in value as a modern classic I want to get it to concors standard and that takes time and money (see bikes hanging on the wall). Also the wife's MG midget she now wants a colour swap and engine conversion theres another 2 years (if I'm lucky) gone by . Oh and a Discovery 3 thats a hobby not just a car anymore.
Unfortunately for me I'm the only cyclist in the hamlet (am I even a cyclist now ?) and with no one to ride with or share the passion the love of bikes has died. So is it time for me to hang up the wheels sell everything and let it go. I always wondered if I got back into cycling for nostalgic reason and these have now been sated its not as fun anymore with the cancelations of Mayhem and Velo retro I really had nothing to look forward to, now if I'm feeling a bit meh I can take Disco out in the car, park up. go for a walk and pick blackberries go home and make some blackberry wine and feed the chickens.
If you read this all the way through well done and thanks sometimes its good to talk if only through a keyboard
