Go Slow Down

Yes! It is the title to a Bodeans album.
It is also how I did my ride today. Slow.
I added a new flavor to my ride yesterday. Up Mokapu and around Kaneohe Bay Drive: a nice little five mile loop.
My legs didn't come back until I was back on Kalaheo, coming back into Kailua.
So today, I went slow. I found out that going slow is easy. The only thing is you must go real slow. Cut your cadence in half/up two gears slow.
Actually, I rode that way for while inspecting my bike the other day, I found that my chain skip is being caused by a worn gear. So before changing it out, I decided to ride today using gears I don't usually use (get my moneys worth don't ya know). Hence my tortoise like speed.
About half way through my ride, I began to think about when I first got back into biking. I started last June, so it's been a little over a year.
As I rolled down Kalaheo, I marveled at the fact that I wasn't even breathing hard. Okay, I was only going about fourteen miles per hour, but at this time last year, I was a huffing and a puffing my way out on the levee. I would look at my computer and marvel at the fact that guys could run a mile faster than I could ride it.
Today, I was effortlessly chugging along, seriously thinking about getting myself a cruiser. You know, a bike with some awesomely fat tires that would roll over the worst Lanikai had to offer. Something with ultra wide bars and a "I don't need to go fast" seating position. I mean when you are going nowhere, it doesn't matter if you get there fast or slow; it matters to get there in comfort.
So, I started thinking about selling my display bike. I think I've had it for three month now and it has 59 miles on it. Trade in the skinny tires for some really fat cushy ones?
The thing is, some riders in Kailua are trying to organize a ride. Check them out here. I am interested in it only because it would give me a reason to take my road bike out. I mean I like how it looks sitting in the middle of my living room, but I get kinda sad thinking about how it must feel with all that dust on it. I am sure my 29er sneers at it when I'm not looking.
There are times when I wish I had a bike I could just jump on go. It isn't practical to take my road bike or my mountain bike to the store or to the beach. I mean part of the point of riding is to not use the car right? Wouldn't it be nice to not have to put on your bike shoes or bike shorts everytime you wanted to go out for a ride?
Don't get me wrong, I ride to get a workout. I ride to get faster (not fatter). I ride so I can buy more bike bling (c'mon, admit it).
I also ride to get the hell out of the house. I ride to get out into the sunshine and enjoy the day. I ride to clear my head and burn off stress.
I mean, I don't have to go fast to enjoy riding my bike right? I take pride in the fact that I am faster than I was last year. I also weigh less than I did last year and that's related to how fast I ride I suppose.
Yet today, as I crawled around Kailua, it was great.
Every once in a while, perhaps it's a good thing to go slow down.