I have blogged before about the importance of friendships and no matter how difficult it becomes, I am working on keeping some of these friendships alive. The latest is a cycle ride in the Cotswolds and keeping our tradition alive….
My friend Wallie and I have known each other since the early 1980s and have always been good friends. In common with each other, we have a similar appreciation of many things; art, music, seeing new places and cycling. For the last umpteen years we have met in the Cotswold Hills and had a day’s cycling. Sometimes in the summer, sometimes in the autumn, sometimes both.
Last year it didn’t happen because I had that catheter tube inside me and it made cycling impossible. I really missed cycling and I had felt as if I had let Wallie down, though he’s very understanding. To compound things further I had muddled our dates for this year’s ride and so we had to hastily rearrange for last Sunday. It was good and it was worth it.
Neither of us felt particularly fit for one reason or another, so we were equally matched. Not that it is ever a race of course, far from it. We pick a route on minor roads so we can amble along, riding side by side. We talk about this and that, gradually bringing ourselves up to date with things.
It was only through occasionally pulling over to allow a car to pass us that stopped us from chatting. Oh, apart from the hills. In an unspoken way (quite literally) our conversation stops when we climb a hill although we did carry on as best we could before we starting breathing too heavily. And then wizzing down the other side, well we don’t even bother to try and talk!
Toothache!
For the first time in my life I had toothache, as per previous post. While I was thinking everything was under control with the antibiotics and paracetamol, when we stopped for lunch my first bite was absolutely agony. In fact it was like being electrocuted and I yelped. This meant I didn’t really feel like eating anything at all, although Wallie did give me half of his banana as it was easy to eat. So for the rest of the ride I was somewhat distracted by the toothache.
So how did we do?
In the end we covered 33 miles, this was a pleasant surprise to us both. Neither of us felt particularly energetic and expected us to have covered anymore than 20 or so miles. Both if us were a little tired but not bad at all.
What did occur for me – and this does seem to happen these days – I feel fine after exercise. Then six hours later I become very lethargic and drained. Sometimes this lasts for a couple of days. I don’t know what is going on for sure. My cardiovascular health is good and I’m fit enough to do these things and yet I am zonked somewhat later on. I have an appointment coming up with the kidney specialist so I will talk this over then.
The value of these friendships
There is something so nice in keeping up with old friends. Trying to pinpoint exactly WHY is a little tricky to define. Perhaps there is something nice in reminiscing about old times, when life seemed more carefree? Perhaps it’s because we’ve shared the ups and downs of life with each other? Who knows but perhaps we are a little older and wiser nowadays as we reflect back on the decades.
We have done some amazing bike rides with each other over the years; numerous rides around Gloucestershire (when we were both students), some through-the-night rides and our rambles through the Cotswolds.
Both of us are determined to keep doing this kind of thing, certainly for the foreseeable future. I’m 57 and Wallie is 67 so I reckon we can carry on for quite a bit!