I quit

Right, then…

First off, I’ve been doing fairly well with my 58 mi/week, or 3000 mi/year goal.  In fact, I’ve been spanking it.  This is moreso considering that last week I was in Costa Rica and Ecuador for business, and I still got my miles in.  Right now, I’m about 12 miles short of maintaining my goal, but I’m going to try and bang out a ride tomorrow before the Super Bowl festivities start.

For tomorrows ride, there will be a first:  I’ve finally broken down and bought bibs.  Two factors played in to this.  First was the fact that my current riding setup (gym shorts over Canari “weekend warrior” padded undershort things) was starting to bunch up in the crotchal region.  Secondly, due to an increase in exercise and a decrease in caloric intake, when I put on my Canari “weekend warrior” padded undershort things, I realize that I don’t look quite as disgusting as I once thought I did.  What helped clinch this is that I found a decent pair of bibs (decent per the good folks at bikeforums.net) at love2pedal.com for $35.  Hell – how could I go wrong?  Even if  don’t like using them, it’s only $35…it’s not like I’d be out $130, if I bought the Pearly Zoomy bibs from WGB.  So, anyway, I got a set and a California Republic jersey, so I’ll be looking good for the ride.

Now, on to other things…

I’ve quit drinking.  Ostensibly forever, but we all know how these things go.  I reckon that with a tailwind and following seas, I have about 40 years left…I’m not quite sure if I can make it that long.  That said, the folks that have been through AA inform me to not worry about that, but to focus on “One day at a time” (the philosophy, not the TV show with McKenzie Phillips).

This reminds me of a quote, ironically, from Hunter S. Thompson:  “The decision to flee came suddenly.  Or maybe not.  Perhaps I planned it all along, subconsciously waiting for the right moment.”  In my younger years, I’ve killed a fair amount of booze for both good and bad causes.  We’re not talking Keith Richards magnitudes, mind you, but still, a goodly amount.  But I’ve definitely slowed down in the recent years.  More recently, I’ve thought about quitting drinking altogether, but decided against it, feeling that it would be too restrictive.  Now…welp, I guess it was just time.

So,  why stop?  Basically, I’m tired of waking up and feeling guilt and shame for getting drunk.  It’s not that it happens all the time, mind you.  Further, I haven’t wrecked a car, lost a job, destroyed a relationship or been ordered to stop by a judge.  I guess it’s just time for a change.

So now, I’m here and my focus is on staying here.  It’s going to be difficult, too.  Most of my friends drink.  Some will understand and respect the decision; others won’t.  I’m dreading the next visit to Fresno.  Usually, Steve and I go out and tie one on, when I’m there.  I guess, instead of drinking, we could go explore the cultural offerings of Fres…bwah ha ha!  I could not say it with a straight face:  There are no cultural offerings in Fresno!  The whole place sucks!  So I’m going to have to figure out how to stay sober in Fresno, because there will be a lot of pressure (and need, frankly) to drink.

Of course, I do this right before the Super Bowl party…but then again, I was told that you can find reasons to drink all year long.

So…no time like the present.