Now is as good a time as any.

 Fall, Autumn, whatever you care to call it... now is the time to do what our ancestors did and hunker down for what's ahead. As a cyclist you can take a break and gather your thoughts or, indeed, you can race off-road and embrace the smell of upturned soil and power washers. For me it's an odd time in that I'm too old to stop for long, as if I don't use it, I'll lose it. So...I'll be in the woods haring around in the muck and I'll be out on the road in all conditions, frost, wind and rain.

Why? Well, if you'd seen me at the pumpkin farm last weekend, having more fun than my kids, you'll know I love Autumn. I love the smells of ripe apples, the last minute work of the farmers in the fields, the unpredictable weather. Washing my bike after an epic spin in biblical weather does my heart good. You may not like washing filthy kit or lubing your bike 4 times a week but I do.

In fact I'd go as far as to say that while this time might be Samhain in the old Celtic mythology, a celebration of the harvest and a battening of hatches, I've probably got an alternative DNA that ploughs through and finds more work and activity in the dark months. My ancestors collected apples or chestnuts at this time but I'm more at home skirting around those objects on deserted farm roads shiny with leaves and recent rain. 

You have to back yourself. In cycling terms you have to enjoy what you do if you are going to continue doing it. For me, I get back to basics in the run up to Christmas. Slower miles, quick coffees. Taking roads I wouldn't normally and taking in the views too. Nobody took up cycling to thrash themselves. It all began at a slow pace, seeing things and enjoying being tired. Autumn brings us back to those halcyon days of innocence and a relaxed attitude.

Backing yourself is also a reminder that you are strong, that you are better than most, that you can. For cycling is often an odd place where friendships can be lost as often as forged, where alliances can be strengthened or snapped. Now is the time to take stock in your heart and see who you can count on and who has let you down so that when New Year arrives you have a clean heart and direction and the right people around you to help you achieve your goals. 

I also know better than most that it isn't easy. Not everyone can set aside a whole Sunday morning for cycling. Not everyone can drop everything mid-week and disappear down the road. Not everyone reacts well to the giant egos and toxicity of some racing clubs. And don't get me started on the hoops and regulations some groups enforce. Definitely not newbie friendly. 

Cycling was, and can be, a really welcoming sport. So as I titled this blogspot 'back yourself cycling', my intention is to make cycling easier for you. Through bike rides and blogs I'm gonna try to help. If you have questions about getting into cycling then maybe I can help here. I've been around the block and I might have advice for you. Just ask here or hit me up on the socials under jofuss. And if you want me to join you for a spin at any pace, anywhere in the southeast, on or off-road, then consider me there. Let's get through this winter training together and arrive in spring with smiles on our faces. 

See you out there!






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