TCI Friday

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I did a whole spiel yesterday, on the Paceline, enumerating the things I’m grateful for. I have this idea, actually, that if you’re not grateful for something, then it’s not really of use to you. For example, if you have a really nice bike, but you just take it for granted, it becomes just an ok bike. It’s a bike. It’s fine. The richness of any particular thing or any experience is in the appreciation of it, in the gratitude.

So here’s some of what I’m grateful for:

I’m grateful for my riding friends. These people keep me going. To get a text from someone offering a ride is really nice. I don’t take every offer, but sometimes they’re exactly what I need to get out the door, and it’s nice not to have to dream up every ride myself, to have someone else make the plan and then lead the charge, because sometimes I want to just show up and pedal.

TCI is brought to you by Shimano North America.

I’m grateful to the trail builders. I almost never know who they are, but they’re out there in the woods working their tails off for us. My new favorite place to ride, Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsborough Town Forest (say it five times fast) is absolutely littered with technical features that have either been built, like long skinnies or seesaws OR worked into the existing boulders that are already there. It’s really genius. 

I’m grateful to my wife who understands I have to go do this thing, pretty much all the time, to remain sane and whole and well. I mean, her support is much more than that, but that’s the core of it. She understands. 

Finally, I’m grateful to TCI’s readers and our sponsors, Shimano, because honestly, I love doing what I do, and it’s just not nearly viable without their investment, your investment. We have so much more we can do with the site, and to have people willing to fuel it is amazing. I’m motivated, and motivation is priceless, but also available for something like $3/month.

This week’s TCI Friday is pretty straightforward. What are you grateful for?


It’d be a little glib to beg you to subscribe now, so I’m just going to thank you for coming. Thanks.

Join the conversation
  1. alanm9 says

    For my two sons who have become fine young men despite my efforts, and for my beautiful and long suffering wife who also loves riding. (And who is from Chelmsford btw; we were married there.)

  2. jlaudolff says

    The wife and kids make everything worthwhile. Always thankful for my health. Thankful to my friends who keep me motivated and to my community which has embraced cycling in so many ways.

  3. trabri says

    I’m thankful for my wife, who through the 90s mtb racing craze, allowed me to collect so many bikes and parts that I will be able to tinker with them well into retirement!

  4. TominAlbany says

    I’m grateful for my family and friends. Their support is why I’m still here.

  5. [email protected] says

    Grateful for still having the motivation to get on a bike…. after many years of riding, racing, crashing and the after-effects of all the damage done now being felt in my not-so-young body! Tell you what, I’m also grateful for our now endless choice of e-bike’s and the continued improved engineering, because I can see myself hopping on one of these in the not so distant future.. 😉 Thanks Emlyn!

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