I was under the weather yesterday/today. Not sure what’s exactly wrong, kind of the flu with a severe headache. I think the headache is related to my destroyed shoulder. I got a ton of headaches after falling and whenever I slept on it weird, my neck gets all jacked and I get a crazy headache. Needless to say, I skipped racing.
But, that being said, I’m going to try my hand at it today. The race is called Cross Off the Old Year. Appropriate. I’m not much of one to not race when I feel sick. I don’t think that racing hurts you when you’re sick. But, cyclo-x isn’t exactly what the doctor would order in most cases.
Another year is gone. I can’t say that this was my best year on the bike. I fell down hard a couple times too many and didn’t bounce back very quickly. But, I’ve had a lot of experience with these things and don’t let that bother me much in the long run. Day to day it is a drag, but that is life.
Anyway, I wanted to thank you all for stopping by and leaving you thoughts. I still have no idea how this thing started going, but it sort of has a life of it’s own. According to site statistics, around 4000 people a day come by here each day, around 1,400,000 for the year. Sometimes it feels like a chore. I really am trying to spend less time connected to the phone and computer, but this is tugging the other way. I’m not complaining by any means. It is just a yin/yang thing. It is a very interesting part of life, opposite/contrary interconnected forces and how relate to one other.
That is what surprises me here. I would think that most people that read this, have the same political, philosophy, views, but it’s all over the place. It is a true melting pot, which leave less stones unturned. I don’t mind people calling me on stuff, even if I don’t agree. I sometimes don’t spend a lot of time thinking a subject out.
I wrote this a couple years ago on New Years Eve, it still applies, and probably can’t write it any better still –
I don’t really have any deep insight into why I started doing this or how long I’ll stay at it. I do know I get a lot back from it. It is strange how many people are interested in stuff that seems mundane to me. Or, how little interest people have in stuff I’m super interested in.
I live sort of a “free form” lifestyle. Being able to deviate from any given direction at virtually anytime is probably the definition of that. I’ve made some choices/sacrifices throughout my life to have the opportunity/luxury for this freedom of choice. I value that a lot. But a lot of it is just plain luck. I’ve never been one to pass up something that perks up my interests. I feel pretty lucky that I found an occupation/sport/lifestyle in cycling that seems to fulfill most of the requirements to satisfy the way I’m wired.
I wish I’d given a little more attention to the written language in school. I wasn’t big on subjective subjects. I’m not big on subjective sports either. I can barely read an article written about me. And I have much less patience for rereading what I write. I’m trying to change that, but it is a bit like pulling teeth. It is mildly embarrassing having so many typos, but that seems to be the way I tick. I have worse faults.
Okay. Enough of this. Thanks for reading and participating in this. It makes it worthwhile. I hope everyone has a good New Year.
New Year’s Eve mountain bike race on the slopes above the Villars-sur-Ollon resort in the Swiss Alps.
Well thank you Steve for the daily posts. I don’t comment super often,but have come to visit here each day. Your site has come as means of support in some ways this past year. It has been the worst year for myself. The week after cross nationals my Mom went downhill. I don’t have family outside of cycling other than my elderly Father. Spent the year in crisis after crisis, I would try and share some of your posts with her(she loved hearing about Bromont esp). She pasted away in October. Now I am trying to figure how to look after Dad.
In some ways the site has helped me stay somewhat mentally in touch of the lifestyle I have adopted over the past 23-24yrs.
So I appreciate the daily posts and don’t mind grammical errors for I am just the same-it adds character in my book.
-greg ferguson
Steve,
Thanks for making this a part of your day as many have made it a part of their day to see what is up with Steve Tilford! This is the 1st year that I have not cross raced in awhile, it is also the 1st year I have not seen you race locally. I hope to change that in 2013! Keep up the good work on and off the bike and I look forward to your race report today! The snow is falling here in KC! Have fun!
GO!
I’m a regular and love your comments even when I disagree. I hope this never becomes a chore for you because I will miss it, and I know others would too!
Thank you Steve!
I would very much miss my 10AM snack and blog post in my office. Keeps me sane to a certain degree.
Have a happy new year!
Steve,
I agree with Greg (and condolences to him) that part of the interest in the mundane is the notion of some of us staying in touch with a particular lifestyle. Most of us can’t get those long rides in, or race, or take off for interesting places to ride, so we stay a bit in touch with it by following what you’re up to. Many of us have particular responsibilities that don’t allow for that freedom; while few of us are anywhere near your ability, which is what allows you that lifestyle as a pro, I think it’s nice to envy, in a healthy way, those who make riding such a center of their lives.
Info on bike stuff and racing is always great, but even just describing an everyday ride with your friends is good stuff, because as I sit at my desk I can imagine a bit of what it’s like, even as I go to my trainer after work.
Keep it up!
Ted
Steve, I read your blog regularly and have been able to see you race over the years. Keep writing and I’ll keep reading and cheering at the races. Good luck in Madison.
Rich
Guess I live close to the antithesis of your freewheeling life, but I choose to drop by most days. BTW freewheeling is great word – word and idea wouldn’t exist without the bicycle , which is what unites us (I refuse to call it the “humble” bicycle). Have a great New Year,
Steve, I’ve always enjoyed your writing, no matter its imperfections. I think your love of competition, your powers of observation, and your search for balance are expressed with clarity and capacity for self-reflection. All these hold important messages for riders of any age who make the commitment to cycling as a sport, a hobby, or a way of life. So thanks for writing.
In 1975, Harold Scott and War sang, “I know sometimes I don’t talk right, but at least I know what I’m talking about,” and this is particularly true on these pages. Carry on.
Yeah I’m not sure how I even ran into to this blog, but it was only this year sometime. But being that you are one of those living legend kind of people I am glad I did find it. I actually did not picture you being the kind of of person you are. I had a totally different idea of who you are in my head. Not appearance wise but person wise. I come here everyday to read up. Three of the things that stand out from your posts were the story about the horse trailer accident you witnessed, I still can not get that out of my head, and two dog videos you posted, the one where its like a jack russle barreling after its rider on some down hill run, and the other is more recent with that guy the dog wispering. Of course all the other stuff is really good too.
Fergie hope to see you around more this year, you are one of the hard men of the peloton. You can race 45+ with Mark.(Jackie Paull)
“For Christ sake write and don’t worry about what the boys will say nor whether it will be a masterpiece nor what. I write one page of masterpiece to ninety one pages of shit. I try to put the shit in the wastebasket.” Ernest Hemingway
http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/04/forget-your-personal-tragedy.html
Thanks, Steve! Happy New Year!
Charge us all $1 per year. Only gets you about $4k per year, but makes your time…and “real content” on the Interweb…more valuable.
Whatever….your efforts are much appreciated. Wish there was an easier way to recover some dough for your time and experience.
Tilly – been checking in daily since you jacked ur shoulder. Home repair, auto repair, jetting here and there, some spellbinding stories…oh and some cycling bits too. Not that you take requests but how about some skate skiing and writing about that? Here’s to 2013. Thanks for being there.
Hey Tilly! You are the most authentic connection to the circus that is cycling I know of and I’m certainly not the only one that leans on your opinion for clarity! Happy New Year to Trudi, yourself and Bromont – man do I want a dog! Hey Fergie, my father goofed out roughly 8 years ago (Lewy body dementia) I jumped on the grenade as care taker and feel your pain. Keep riding your bike every day and find me, maybe I can help
I agree completly with Ted, I read your blog because its living vicariously. It’s the same reason I watch “The endless summer” every fall when it starts snowing around here.
Belated Happy New Year to you, Steve. I really dig following your thoughts and reading about your experiences on/off the bike. Also bringing back fond memories of my own years riding with the Wheatland and Sunflower crews. Best to you, Trudi, Kris and the rest of the NE KS gang & give my regards to the River Road.
Peace,
Clifford