Howdy folks!
I posted this as a response in the "height queries?" string. More subtle issues were touched on and
I thought perhaps it would be better as a stand-alone string.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Lars S. Mulford" <[email hidden]> Newsgroups:
alt.rec.bicycles.recumbent Sent: Friday, January 30, 2004 6:27 PM Subject: Accept The Gift
Howdy Ed and others!
Quoted message said:Yes, you have got me figured out to a T. I am here for the combat pure and simple.
Ok, but in truth (and be honest here!), would you be as verbally combative to some on here if you
had the opportunity to meet them face to face, real life situations? Real life has a way of
deflating egos and bringing things back to "life size". And then when that happens, you sometimes
discover that some you've been trading broadsides with are considerably more well equipped than you
thought, both physically and otherwise! (lol) Joking a bit, but there is real truth in that.
Quoted message said:Lars, it is really amazing how you have turned your life around. But normally, high blood pressure
will not be cured by weight loss alone or by exercise. Be sure that you continue to monitor your
BP. I was always very slender my entire life and I cycled like crazy, but I still ended up with
one of the highest blood pressures of anyone in this world - 240/120. If I were not on lots of BP
medication to lower my BP, I would be dead by now. I had headaches for 10 years before I finally
figured it out (I am a slow learner).
Thank you for the positive feedback! I wouldn't say it is amazing though. It just took that
intangible "something" that MADE me commit. That intangible for me was the comment from my youngest
daughter. After that, it was just an investment of time. If anything, you must have PATIENCE in
abundance, because things don't happen overnight when you're talking about life changes and more
importantly, life PATTERN changes. Be patient, stay the course, and you start to see the benefits
after a bit. For me, I was miserable the first month. The second month, I actually felt better and
could just start seeing physical changes. Into the 3rd month, it all started happening right before
my eyes, almost daily!
As for your BP comments, well taken. In my case, getting into good shape, losing the weight and
making drastic (and long overdue) diet changes did it for me. I went from 156/112 to an average now
of 125/70.
Quoted message said:Very few men could ever have accomplished what you did. I am in awe. I am now slightly over weight
for the first time in my life and darned if I can lose an ounce. I have nothing but the greatest
respect for folks who can lose weight.
Thanks again for the positive comments, I really appreciate them! I must be honest though in while I
admit that I did it partially for myself, my main impetus for the change has been and will always be
my family. The investment from me was (and is) some sweat equity and an investment of time. The time
investment was tough initially because it cut into family time, but now that we all ride, it has
actually ADDED to our time together!
You know Ed, we can all talk on here until the cows come home about what bike is better, or "it is
the engine, not the bike", etc... Fact is, the best thing about recumbents is that we have them.
PERIOD.
All those other arguments, all sides of them most likely, have shades of gray that reveal bits of
truth in every facet. But underlying all of this is that despite bike differences, physical
differences, age differences, geographical differences... ...The fact is that we all RIDE. We are
really lucky to be able to do so.
When my oldest daughter was a smidgen younger and her younger sister would pester her to play dolls
or share time, she'd become upset and try to get her younger sister to play by herself or the like.
I explained to Katy (my oldest girl) that the fact that Rachel (my youngest) wanted to spend HER
time with her sister, was giving her a gift. I explained to Katy that the sharing of positive time
with someone is a real gift to cherish, and one of the most wonderful gifts that we are endowed to
give to others. Having said that, I said to Katy that perhaps instead of dismissing her younger
sister outright, perhaps she could figure out a way to "accept the gift" that Rachel was trying to
give her and enjoy each other's company. In that vein, recumbent riding is also a gift that we've
given ourselves or even to our families. Sometimes we forget that.
So to you Ed and all my other fellow recumbent riders, I say to "Accept the gift."
--
"Sea" ya!
--Lars S. Mulford
"You can find evil anywhere you look.
The question is, why are you looking?"