Kevin and Budman and BallAquatics, et. al.,
Great photos and badges look great, hope to throw my hat in the ring soon, taking my car offline so bike has to fill in for few weeks while I chip away at the issues as I am able. In the meantime I will be putting a few qualifying rides if not the most interesting destinations and they will be facing some of Tucsons driving hazards…
Time has flown by since Frank’s death and there are times feeling like it has been slowly passing…funny how time seems to have that time dilation affect when things are going well but when we struggle time seems to slow.
Here in Tucson a steady supply of pollination has been occurring for a few months with a pretty wildflower season and various cactus have been blooming with Saguaros, the cactus with arms. That is native only to the Sonoran desert here in Arizona, a tiny bit of California, and Sonora Mexico. Had a coyote come hunting on my property this evening around 6 when I was getting back home from church and some shopping today for being able to survive working outside, shade …the ability to be out of the direct sun.
Hang in there, have safe rides, be patient and kind to others, always keep the head on a swivel to be aware of your surrounding…consider taking a break from electronic addiction of our phones and interact with others you don’t know in public more by striking up conversations with strangers, tell them some jokes or a funny story, or just show others more of our humanity in kindness and respect towards others making their day brighter. Too many people have their guards up because people aren’t as kind or interacting with others, sometimes you can have a nice conversation and you will enjoy that and they will. Maybe we can slowly spread that and many people need kindness shown to them, you might not realize what you did in that small act. When you laugh and smile good endorphins are released by our brain and other beneficial things happen. Your gut health they are finding even influences so much of your emotional, mental, and physical health… seeing Per, posts with his rides and food…love seeing the variety that the sandwiches and food there in Sweden, that shops are including small salads with the plates of other things like a burger, and the variety of vegetables in the sandwiches. That helps your gut, feeding your body and the good bacteria in your gut that has 70% or more of your immune system. Junk food and highly processed foods rob your bodies of things that help your gut health and feed the bad bacteria that is also in your gut.
So, we ride to help feed our love of riding and feed our passion in life, be it by riding or by wrenching. If you ride to be healthy mentally, then do other simple things to be healthy and work towards being healthy. Long rides require us to develop more core strength, that is good for your health too!
Be safe, be kind, have fun riding more…anyone who interacted with Frank saw what a kind person he was, clever and he enjoyed his family and his friends and even of us he never met he showed kindness to us not even knowing us or having met us, he took time for others. Love the photos from the Dolores Colorado get together where Frank came to and he pitched in helping tune a bike or two and fix a bike or two. Ask anyone who had the pleasure to interact with Frank or watch him interact with others. There was a kindness he had and his smile was great…he made you feel better.
Good luck (if you believe in the construct of luck), peace…
David
