I have been tentatively diagnosed with pericarditis, which kind of sucks because it means that until further tests I’m not allowed to ride a bicycle. The fact that the tissue surrounding my heart is inflamed with something other than desire is of secondary importance. When you have seven bikes it’s a symptom that your body needs to be in the cycling position on a regular basis.
It’s more than a form of transportation, though it’s certainly that, as we live out in the country and have no car; it’s a big part of my life. I don’t cycle competitively, I do it for the pleasure it brings me. I listen to music, get ideas, exercise. It’s entirely appropriate that the Wright brothers were bicycle mechanics: I fly.