Steve Tilford

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.