foo on patrol wrote: ↑Mon Jan 01, 2024 6:27 am
The year that has just ended was one of the toughest ones both mentally and physically for me. 40klms on the bike
and fatigue levels through the roof like I have never experienced in my life before. It was a soul destroying year for me because of not being able to ride like I wanted to but when you have severe fatigue, any exercise that you can do, compounds for the week ahead and for me being a truck driver, that was not a good thing.
What does the new year bring for me, well I've retired and will be back on the bike building towards Track racing again in the later part of this year and a target weight of 100Kg. Starting weight as of this morning is 112.7Kg.
Riding clears the head space and even my wife notices this, so that's my challenge for the up and coming year. I do need to get some issues sorted with my left arm and lower back so that I'm not like a cripple at times and that also leads to a better head space and much better inner contentment.
As AUbicycles said, this section is for helping people deal with issues and no judgement should be past on anyone one that is going through tuff times within themselves and even though we may not personally know you, it is still good to talk about issues and receive unbiased help from those that may have dealt with the same issues.
Stay safe all and talk about your health problems and not suffer alone.
Foo
Happy New and new Beginnings Foo and everyone here.
It's not easy for any of us stuck behind the wheel for long hours of a heavy vehicle like a truck or bus as there's limited opportunities to move around, especially in a bus where your cargo loads itself and as well as unloads so not much chance to get out even to walk around the bus.
Apart from the lack of exercise, it's the mental toll it takes by constantly having to concentrate on what's going on around you all day so when you get home, you may not be physically tired but mentally tired to bother with anything else.
I have considered to do away with my heavy vehicle license (HC) and Public Passenger Authority card and just get a job where i can move around a bit and have no big responsibilty so i'm going to consider this in 2024. I'll be 64 in a weeks time so i'm wanting to wind down a bit and get back to what's important. HEALTH because without it.....you've got nothing.
I have lost some weight over the year but need to lose at least 12kg more as I've recently been diagnosed as diabetic so now I have to battle this but having to see yet another bloody specialist (endocronologist) in order to keep my heavy vehicle license going as well as passenger Authority. That's why I'm now looking at alternatives, I've been driving trucks and buses now since 1979.
I'm going to slowly change my diet more towards Veggies, even on the BBQ and less towards meat yet I have no intention on becoming a Vegetarian or vegan but am willing to try some alternate meals. I'm also wanting to eat more fish especially for it's Omega 3 values. I like to eat more fatty varieties of fish like large sardines, yellowtail, Mackeral and salmon but the Fresh sardines (which are great on the grill) are hard to get in their larger form. For steak, I buy cape Grim grass fed Tri-tip and 1 steak can feed 2 people with some left over for the next day's sanga. (wife prefers grain fed but i get to choose the steak)
OK, as for the bike...I'm going to get back to doing more riding this year, with the move a year ago to the Albury region, I ended up buying another motorcycle and that has taken much of my free time but now summer is here, I'm not keep on wearing sweaty hot jackets and Motorcycle protective pants so won't be doing much Summer riding till it cools down a bit so riding my Vivente which sits patiently in it's place in my Garage, it'll get an outing in the near future. I've recently had no inspiration and no motivation to ride anywhere as I don't have any friends here to ride with. I can't really take my bike in the car as it's not equipped to carry a bike and I'm really conscious that if I ride too far and can't get back, i'm stuck, it's not like I can put my bike on a train like I could in Sydney.
There are so many great rail trails within 100kms of Albury but am afraid to tackle them by myself concerned I'll be stranded if something went wrong. Not a great feeling after buying this particular bike 6 years ago with touring on my mind, now in my near mid 60's, I don't feel the wanting to venture too far. My fitness level is not great because of the lack of riding but I still don't feel the need for pedal assist, maybe it's being stubborn but not sure if I'm that decrepit yet.
Hope this year is good for all of us Foo....take care mate!!
cheers
brumby33