Pedal your way to glory

An American businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna.
The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked, "How long did it take for you to catch them?"
The Mexican replied, "Only a little while."
The American then asked, "Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more fish?"
The Mexican said, "I have enough to support my family's immediate needs."
The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"
The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life, senor."
The American scoffed, "I am a Wharton MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise."
The Mexican fisherman asked, "But senor, how long will this all take?"
To which the American replied, "15-20 years."
"But what then, senor?
The American laughed and said, "That's the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."
"Millions, senor? Then what?"
The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."
"But senor, that is what I'm doing now," said the Mexican.

Everyone wants to look busy and act busy as if the world would come to an end if they don't hurry up. In their frenzy to earn a fast buck, people have sold their soul, literally. Yes, very few people have the time to reflect on their life and savour the splendour of silence. The offshoot of this has been that they have been bereft of real happiness and have been substituting it with the pleasures of the market. Increasingly, they are becoming desperate for this or that thing and can't find out the reasons for their restlessness. If only people spend a little time sitting in silence, half the miseries in their world would come crashing down instantly. Because in the first place they were not there. But the irony is only when one goes into the silent depths of the soul can one realise that. I have done it, so I can say it with a tonne of confidence.

Sunday is a lovely day to go into the depths of the soul. And I did just that. I went on a 40-mile bike ride into the outskirts of the city trudging along the valleys, plunging into the deep gorges, and straining in the mud roads. The swaying of the dry leaves in the fields, the simplicity of the farmers and the innocence of their children writ large on their faces added a new zest to my ride. But, most of all, the cool wind challenging you to beat it at its game while at the same time gently pushing you to pedal your way to glory, oh, it's a wonderful feeling to be a biker.

Stop the pursuit of happyness

A young man with a fine voice is asked to take part in a pageant play, though he tries to beg off, saying he always gets embarrassed under such circumstances.
He is assured it will be very simple, and he will have only one line to say: "I come to snatch a kiss, and dart into the fray. Hark! I hear a pistol shot..." and then stride offstage.
At the performance he comes onstage, very embarrassed already by the tight-fitting colonial knee-breeches he has been made to put on at the last moment, and becomes completely unstrung at the sight of the beautiful heroine lying back on a garden seat, awaiting him, in a white gown.
He clears his throat and announces: "I come to kiss your snatch -- no! -- snatch a kiss, and fart into the dray -- I mean, dart into the fray! Hark! -- I hear a shistol pot -- no! -- a shostil pit, a pistil shit. Oh, bat shit, rat shit, shit on you all! I never wanted to be in this damned play anyhow!"

No one wants to be miserable, but they don't realise that their very wanting to be happy is the root cause of their misery. 'I want to' is the biggest disease haunting the world today, not AIDS, not hepatitis B. People don't want to be happy right now and right here. They set goals to be happy. And the ridiculous goals read like this: "I will be happy when I buy a car." Does he really become happy when he buys a car? No. Instead of driving down merrily in his car, he sets another goal to become happy and the car becomes irrelevant. His next goal becomes something like: "I want to own a house or a palatial mansion (depending on the person's imagination)" and he strives towards it. And he goes on and on till he realises that all his life he was 'wanting' something or the other but didn't exactly want to live. Because the moment you possess something, you don't want it anymore.

The same is the case with marriage. Till you marry, you have dreams of how you would lead a life of bliss. And you do for a couple of months (it's reduced to a couple of days) and the marriage turns sour because of your very longing to be happy with your spouse. The spouse no more becomes important, but what he/her does becomes important. They slowly try to change the person to his/her demands because there was no happiness in the marriage. And the goal has turned on to something more materialistic to become happy: setting up a house, providing a good education for the child, buying a new house, etc, etc, etc... When do we learn that happiness is not a thing to be pursued but a state of mind that can only be lived?

Sages have understood the dilemma of the human being and have advocated meditation as the tonic to get rid of the evil. But people neither have the time nor the inclination for meditation because they feel if they stand and stare they would be left out of the rat race. And a rat race is it. Because it is like moving around in circles not knowing for what.

Was too caught up with streamlining my blogging activity that I couldn't find time to go for an extended spiritual marathon. But however, I did my regular hourlong breathing exercise and followed it by another hour of sitting meditation. In the evening I made up for the morning's biking by going on a 15 mile bike ride in and out of the city.

Now you are talking!!

Moskowitz met Finklestein on the street one day and said, "Finkelstein, have I got a bargain for you! An elephant! A whole living elephant for just one hundred dollars."
Finklestein said, "Are you crazy? What do I want with an elephant?"
"It's a beautiful elephant," continues Moskowitz, "all grey, ten feet tall, complete with a trunk."
"But I have nothing to feed it on," cried Finkelstein. "I live in a three-room apartment. I have no place to put it in."
But Moskowitz went on: "Two beautiful tusks, maybe two feet long. It is a magnificent beast. They don't make them like that anymore."
"Moskowitz," said Finkelstein, almost screaming, "I have a three-room walk-up apartment on the fifth floor. Where will I keep an elephant?"
"You are a hard man, Finkelstein," said Moskowitz. "I will tell you what, I will throw in a second whole elephant for only $50 extra."
Finkelstein smiled and said, "Now you are talking!"

Life, the way we are living, is about how smart we are in outwitting the other person. Never mind it ain't make a difference to our life or our outlook towards life. It gives that momentary massage to the ego. And we get a mighty kick out of it. If only we realise that a greater and grander thrill can be had from elsewhere, especially dancing, we wouldn't want to impress the other person. Isn't it? Ask any dancer and he will vouch for it. Because in dance, or cycling, or running for that matter, you have a feeling that your body is melting and that you are just a pillar of energy. The lightness gives an ultrahigh that can't be equated with anything else in the world. That is why great sages all over the world, especially the Sufis have been advocating dance as a form of meditation.

To take a detour from the usual running and biking, I danced away the whole morning. And what a wonderful relief it was. I occasionally dance away my blues and there is nothing like a solid one hour dance. The Shamans claim that dancing you fall into ecstasy. The more you dance, they say, the more on gets merged with the godliness. And as I occasionally dance away to glory in the middle of the night, I can say with pride that I have reached such ecstatic heights.

In the evening I went on a regular bike ride inside city on my way back home. The heat and the pollution, however, are playing havoc and I've been sweating profusely getting drenched in the sweat by the time I reach home. But what to do I love it.

Laughter therapy for the soul

A Preacher wanted to raise money for his church and, being told there were fortunes in race horses, he decided to purchase one and enter it in the races. However, at the local auction, the going price for horses was so steep he ended up buying a donkey instead. He figured that since hehad it, he might as well go ahead and enter it in the races, and to his surprise the donkey came in third.
The next day the racing sheets carried the headlines: "Preacher's Ass shows".
The Preacher was so pleased with the donkey that he entered it in the races again and this time he won.
The papers said: "Preacher's Ass out in Front"
The Bishop was so upset with this kind of publicity that he ordered the Preacher not to enter the donkey in another race.
The newspaper printed this headline: "Bishop Scratches Preacher's Ass".
This was just too much for the Bishop and he ordered the Preacher to get rid of the animal. The Preacher decided to give it to a nun in a nearby convent.
The headlines the next day read, "Nun has the Best Ass in Town."
The Bishop fainted. He informed the nun that she would have to dispose of the donkey and she finally found a farmer who was willing to buy it for $10.00.
The paper stated: "Nun Peddles Ass for Ten Bucks"
They buried the Bishop the next day.

The best part of any vigorous activity -- be it cycling, running, swimming, or playing any sport is that you are not dead anymore but alert to everything that is going on around you. That is because the vigorous activity gives you a sense of agility and athleticism. And you don't keep up a pretence and smile to yourself when you listen to something that is hilarious, but burst out in peals of laughter. You are not you anymore but a ball of energy 24x7.

Went on the regular spiritual triathlon to the green lungs of the city -- the Osho Teerth Park, and came back after a long 15 mile ride for a one-hour session of meditation. The more I run and bike, the more my meditation runs deep and silent. And the more the meditation runs deep, the more I am able to run and bike. Apart from commuting to work and going on errands, I go on 10 mile bike rides in the evening too unless I am caught up in work. So yesterday, once again, I went on a long journey to the outskirts of the city to freshen up my lungs and fill them up with a burst of oxygen. Had great fun.

Oh, my God, what a lovely morning!

One tranquil afternoon in the deep forest, Doobeedoo, the very handsome frog, is preparing to go for a little hop around the pond. He is feeling pretty good about things today, and a little 'out there', so he puts on his flashy new white Yves Saint-Laurent swimsuit.
He goes out and takes in the beautiful morning. The sun is streaming softly through the tall pine trees.
Doobeedoo takes a big breath of fresh air and smiles. Then full of life, he says to a passing deer, "I am God!"
He hops on for a while, and when he comes across a family of dragonflies, he puffs out his chest and says, "I am God!"
A little further on, he comes to Doreen the duck. He makes big eyes at her and in a spiritual tone says, "I am God!"
Doreen looks at the frog and says, "What?"
Doobee says again, "I am God!"
"I have been watching you," says Doreen, "and you have been telling that to everyone around the pond. Are you serious, or is it just that flashy white Yves Saint-Laurent swimsuit?"
"I am God!" says Doobee again.
"Enough of your silliness," says the duck. "Away with you, you smart-faced jerk!"
At this, Doobee pulls down his white swimsuit and exposes his machinery.
Doreen looks in amazement and says slowly, "Oh my God!"

Life is a rollercoaster ride of fun and laughter. And if we can set aside our self-imposed seriousness and take a dip in the mirth surrounding all around us, the world would be a lot more healthy and happy.

The morning was lovely and the sweet sounds of the birds and the glorious sun rise, pulled me out of my bed. I put on my shoes and went for a refreshing bike ride to the park for my daily dose of morning freshness. Ran round the park for more than an hour, got on the bike for a 10-mile ride and ultimately collapsed into an hour-long meditation -- the best that can ever happen after a glorious morning workout. Only that it is not a work out but a wonderful act of play.

Later in the evening I went for a long marathon-like bike ride into the interior areas of the city to explore the sights and sounds of a bustiling metropolis that lies hidden for the outsiders. There is a medieval feel to Pune's inner city. Time seems to stand still here. And it is a lovely lesson in cultural diversity.

Out cycling again?

Paddy decides to go rabbit shooting, but when he gets to his favourite field he sees the village priest is already there. Paddy watches with fascination as the priest holds his finger over a rabbit hole and immediately a rabbit pops out. The priest grabs it andputs it into a sack.
He repeats this unusual but verysuccessful technique until his sack is full ofrabbits.
Paddy stops the priest and asks him how hedoes it.
“Easy,” says the priest. “Put your finger on your wife's pussy and then hold it over a rabbit hole. They can't resist the smell, so when they come out, grab them.”
As this sounds much easier than shooting, Paddy rusheshome to find his wife bent over scrubbing the floor. He lifts up her skirt and applies his finger as directed.
Without looking up, she giggles, “Father! Rabbit hunting again?”

The first thing you are greeted with by friends on seeing you is: Out cycling again? You may try to hide the tens of hundreds of miles you've out on from them lest they think that you are some weirdo, but the unmistakable glow on your face is a giveaway.

Went on the usual spiritual triathlon in the morning: 10 miles of running, 5 miles of cycling and an hour of meditation. But I must tell you, the run was not without its pain. I've developed some pain on the left side of the left knee after I've logged on 6 miles. I didn't want to give up as I would feel devoid of my regular dose of adrenaline. So I plodded on, but instead I cut down on the number of cycling miles by five. The pain is not severe but the discomfort of it is. Any suggestions on how to get relief from the pain? Will be grateful if you have any.

An unexpected bonanza

There were these two guys in a bar, which was on the 20th floor of a building. The first man said, "I bet you $100 I can jump out that window and come straight back in.
The second man says, "Ok, sure."
And the barman holds the bet.
The first man jumps out the window and disappears for a second before jumping straight back in.
Disappointed about losing the $100, the second man says, " I'll bet you another $100 you can't do it again."
So the barman holds the bet.
Sure enough, the first man jumps out the window, disappears for a second, then jumps straight back in.
Thinking he must have caught a freak gust of wind, the second man says, "Ok, I bet you $300 I can jump out the window and come straight back in."
The first man says" Ok, sure."
The second man jumps out the window and falls to the footpath below. He is dead.
Back up in the bar, the barman says to the first man, " Gee, you can be a bastard when you're pissed, Superman."

It was an unexpected bonanza. And what a treat it was. Yesterday evening I casually wanted to go for a 5 mile ride in search of a school. But somewhere I lost track of the school and got on to another road that took me to the countryside. With the cool evening breeze blowing in my face, and the area totally devoid of pollution, I decided to forget about the school and kept pedalling till I thought I would be tired. And turn back afterwards. I pedalled for an hour and a half and reached a pilgrimage centre on the other end of the city. And which was connected to the city fro the other end. It was a cool 25 mile ride. And what made it all the more memorable was the fact that I did some speed biking so that my meditation would run deeper than normal. And the experience can't be explained in words. I intend to repeat the performance very soon. And as many times as possible.

To cash in on the 25-mile bike ride, I went for the three-hour spiritual triathlon -- 10 mile running, 10 mile biking and an hour of meditation -- this morning. I thought I would have body pains because of yesterday's bike ride, but my system seems to have got used to the gruelling runs and the rides. It was not out of tiredness that I stopped, but out of the feeling that it might be a strain on my body. I will tend to get rid of this notion and bike till I drop dead.

PS: Wanna bike/run a 100 miles in a day. Any suggestions on how to go about it?

Zen and the art of dynamic meditation

In a little shack in the outback of Australia, Bruce, Edna and their daughter Shirley have finished their kangaroo stew dinner and are arguing about who is going to do the washing up. There's a big fight, and finally Bruce suggests that they all lie down on the floor and the first person to move does the dishes.
The same night, Hamish MacTavish is driving his oldpick-up nearby, when the radiator overheats. He sees the shack and walks over there to get some water. Going into the shack, he finds everyone lying on the floor, so he decides to help himself to water. On his way to the kitchen, he steps over Shirley, and in a moment of passion, jumps on her and screws her.
He gets up from Shirley and finds Edna on the kitchen floor. The temptation is too great for Hamish and he jumps on Edna too.
Then he takes some water back to his truck, but while he is filling the radiator, he burns his arm. Hamish rushes into the shack and cries out, “Have you got any vaseline?”
Hearing this, Bruce jumps up and yells, “Okay, okay! I will do the dishes!”

We are what we think or rather don't think. And our mind is so filled with nonsense that we react only when we are confronted by the perverse reality -- it may be an accident, a death, or the loss of health. But the wise ones perceive the situation in its totality and take the lead to make a difference not only to their lives but also to others'. Total health does not mean absence of illness but the presence of a boundless energy. And no one has realised it better than the neighbourhood runner who plods on without end for the simple joy of life, or the cyclist who has made cycling his way of life. Let us wake up to the reality before it is too late. Though it is never too late.

It was an anti-climax today after having woken up earlier than the normal days to go for that long run, my cycle had a flat tyre. So I had to make do with an hour's dynamic meditation -- of breathing my lungs out, chattering my nonsense away, and hoo-ing my guts out. It was good fun as I was able to throw out all my nonsense and follow it up with a steadfast sitting meditation stretching for 45 minutes. It may not come any way near the spiritual triathlon that I pursue everyday, but still it was a wonderful experience. Want to know how to do dynamic meditation, log on to www.osho.com. Have fun.

I get these dizzy spells every time I jerk off!

Willie Weary, a middle-aged businessman, stumbles in to see Doctor Nutcase in his Hollywood surgery.
“Doc, I have got this problem.” confides Willie Weary. “You see, my secretary, Millie, loves to make love. Every morning, when I get to work, instead of bringing me a cup of coffee, she throws me across my desk and makes passionate love to me! Then, just before lunch, she pushes me up against the filing cabinet for a quickie. And before I leave work at the end of the day, she always gives me a farewell screw.”
“Hmmm!” says Doctor Nutcase. “So what seems to be the problem?”
“Well, you see, Doc,” explains Willie Weary, “my wife, Dottie, is a nymphomaniac. Every morning before I get up, she jumps on me and we screw until the alarm clock goes off. Then, when I go home for lunch each day, we have a quick one while I am eating my spaghetti. And then, each night we have a marathon session before we go to sleep!”
“Hmmm!” says Doctor Nutcase. “I still don't see what your problem is!”
“Well, Doctor,” explains Willie Weary, “I get these dizzy spells every time I jerk off!”

A good joke is always a welcome relief. We stop whatever work we do, and however important it is, to give an ear to the joke. And so does cycling. And running. And meditation. They not only refresh your body, mind and soul but act as a soothing balm to the tired and weary. They infuse a fresh lease of life making everything in the world a simplistic affair.

Got up late as I had a late nightout reading a novel titled "War Brides". A pretty old novel about three Australian women who fall in love with American GIs during the latter's brief sojourn in Australia at the time of Second World War. The novel is about the women's failed hopes, dashed ambitions, and the like. Good to read as it throws light on how people mess up with their lives yearning for things that they know for sure is not possible.

Couldn't go for spiritual triathlon in the morning. But did some amazing breathing meditation. Not possible to go out in the evening too. But tomorrow I would square it up with some renewed running and biking.

I'm running as fast as I can

Hamish McTavish walks into an appliance store and asks the price of a remote-controlled TV.
“One dollar,” replies the clerk.
“You've got to be kidding,” says Hamish.
“Listen,” says the clerk, “do you want it or not
Of course, Hamish gives him the dollar.
On his way out of the store, he sees a bigrefrigerator. “How much for that?” asks Hamish.
“Fifty cents,” replies the clerk.
Hamish pulls out fifty cents and gives it to theclerk. “What the hell is going on here?” he asks.
“Nothing is going on here,” replies the clerk. “But my boss is at my house with my wife and what he is doing to her, I am doing to his business.”

Too busy as I was caught up in my employment rigmarole. Had to attend my final interview, plus run around my other office to produce my pay slip and other paraphernalia so that they would give me my offer letter. Only later can I decide whether the pay is okay for me or not. Strange are the ways of organisations. They know how to stretch the red tape longer than than the twin towers of Malaysia. You may trip over or may wound yourself but it doesn't concern them. They have to follow their rules. The more globalisation changes the way business is done, the more companies entangle them in red tape. Can't complain. That's the way of the world. Only when companies realise that red tape is in the mind not in the people can there be a real transformation in how things are done.

However, there is a silver lining too. I managed to fix my running and cycling schedule and integrate it into my meditation. And it goes like this: I would get up in the morning at 4 am, meditate for an hour and get ready to go for my 10 mile jog, followed by 5 mile cycling. I would cool my heels with another round of 45-minute meditation. I've put it into practice in the last two days. And I would gradually like to extend my pedalling miles. And I must tell you, after all the running and cycling, I get so exhausted that I don't need to do meditation, it happens automatically. And it is bliss.

Fresh breath energy

One day Lupo is walking home when he notices a huge gorilla standing on the roof of his house. Not knowing what to do about it he looks in the phonebook under Gorilla Removals. Then he calls up George's Get Lost Gorilla Service and explains the situation.
Ten minutes later George arrives with a banana, a bulldog, a butterfly net, a ladder and a loaded gun.
“Okay,” says George, “it is quite a simple thing. I am gonna throw the banana at the gorilla, and while he is busy eating it, I am gonna climb up the ladder and push him off the roof. Then the bulldog is trained to grab him by the nuts, and when the gorilla holds himself in pain, you throw this butterfly net over him.”
“Great!” shouts Lupo, with enthusiasm. “But what about the gun?”
“Well,” explains George, “if I miss the gorilla and fall off the roof myself, you shoot the dog!”

Life is a lot more simple if only we have a little bit of awareness. People tend to put on serious faces when it is needed. And it is a pity that they don't know that it costs nothing to put on a smile. And that a smiling face ignites not only life in others but also in oneself. With that driving force one can take on the world with an unbounded joy 24x7.


I couldn't cycle much today as I was busy poring through the net for some clues on how to make my blog popular. I spent a whole evening on that and if any one of you have any ideas please feel free to tell me. I'll gladly lap up every idea with the greediness of a starved gorilla. However, I did some wonderful breathing exercise: deep diaphragmatic exercise which involves the rapid throwing out of the carbon dioxide through the nose. It should be as rapid as possible, so that a flush of oxygen takes its place. If you want to look at life from a godly perspective, everyone should do this exercise first thing in the morning. It is called dynamic meditation and devised by the controversial godman Bhagwan Rajneesh, popularly called Osho.
Photo: Dynamic meditation in progress

Wanna bet on your life?

Silverman is killed in an accident and Mendel Kravitzis was sent to break the news to his wife.
“Be careful how you tell her,” advises a friend. “She is a very delicate woman.”
Mendel knocks on the door and Mrs. Silverman comes out.
“Are you the widow of Silverman?” he asks.
“Certainly not,” she replies.
“Want to bet?” asks Mendel.

Humour not only lifts up the spirits but also oils the wheels of a drab and digusting life that you come across a dime a dozen in the marketplace. That is because they are so caught up in their work that they don't have the time or the inclination to laugh. Forget about laughing at themselves or against themselves. It doesn't take much to out on a serious countenance but takes an awful presence of mind to be humorous. And what best way to cultivate the humorous side of your life than with cycling? It may sound odd but once you get down to explore the funny side, the solitary bikind escapades throw up a lot of humorous ideas and anecdotes that you wouldn't have the time to find if you were a normal human being.

Today I went on a a shopping spree in the small lanes of the city where I live in, Pune, to buy some stuff for myself. But not before putting on some 20 miles. And another six-odd miles went into the shopping cycling. In effect, I managed to complete the marathon-da-day schedule which I have fixed for myself. But when would I accomplish the 100 mile goal?

It's good to be smart but great to be happy

A very proper Englishman goes into a bar one night, sits down, but does not order a drink.
The bartender, an unusually friendly guy, asks him if he would like adrink on the house.
The Englishman shakes his head.“I tried liquor once,” he says. “Did not like it.”
Still trying to be friendly, the bartender asks him if he would like to join a couple of the boys for a few hands of poker.
The Englishman shakes his head. “Tried gambling once,” he says. “Did not like it. In fact, I would not be waiting in this place at all, but I promised my son I would meet him here.”
“I see,” says the bartender. “Your only child, I assume.”

It is good to be smart, but great to be healthy and happy. And it wouldn't be a misnomer to say that both of them are interlinked. If you are healthy and happy, you radiate a great sense of goodwill that cultivates in you a wellspring of intelligence and smartness. You become quick-witted because you live a life that is always on the edge. If you are cycling tens of miles just for the heck of it, you are not only making it a personal statement but you are open to all the possibilities in life. Especially humour. Because you love to be a kind and loving soul in the company of friends and elders. It is a natural byproduct of cycling.

I was bombarded with these thoughts while I was on a long ride in the lanes and bylanes of the city. Normally, I go for a long ride in the outskirts of the city. But, of late, I have been trying to discover the pattern of the city: how people live, what kind of houses they live in, their socio-economic status and the like. It has just been an inquisitive feeling. Because every time I go for a ride, I come across some unusual thing or the other. Most of the time I don't let my mind wander away, but sometimes I give in and the result is some probing questions from the heart. Well, I should be getting over it any time. Meanwhile, I did some wonderful breathing exercise in the morning: some rapid breathing that hits the interiors of the lungs, throws out all the carbon dioxide and flushes them with oxygen. After work in the evening I went on a long ride, as I said, in the interiors of the city on my way home.

How do you bike 25 miles?

Three guys are fishing in the Caribbean. One guy says, "I had a terrible fire; lost everything. Now the insurance company is paying for everything and that's why I'm here."
The second guy says, "I had a terrible explosion; lost everything. Now the insurance company is paying for everything and that's why I'm here."
The third guy says, "What a coincidence. I had a terrible flood; lost everything. Now the insurance company is paying for everything and that's why I'm here."
The other guys turned to him with confusion and asked, "Flood? How do you start a flood?"

Starting a flood may be the prerogative of Mother Nature, but getting on to a bike to keep in shape and spread your joy for miles on end is exclusively yours. And mine. And ours. Cycling is such a wonderful passion that you just can't resist yourself from getting on your bike and get going. It doesn't matter where you are going. And 90 per cent of the time you don't know where you are going either. You get on to the bike and it will steer you to your no-destination and back after you've had your fill. In process you discover a number of roads near your colony, near your office, or on the outskirts of the city. It was one such ride I went on today. The evening was pleasant and I was in a mood to clock some miles inside the city for a change. And so I got on my bike and kept going. And going. And going. I went like that for some 25 miles. Till I called it a day.

To go or not to go that's the dilemma

One night, after their owner is asleep, the parts of the body were arguing about which has the toughest job.
“I’ve really got it tough,” moan the feet. “He puts me in these smelly sneakers, makes me jog until I have blisters... it’s awful!”
“You’ve got no reason to complain,” says the stomach. “Just last night, I got nothing but beer, spaghetti and aspirin. It’s a miracle I kept it together.”
“Ah, quit bitching, you two,” moans the prick. “Every night he sticks me up a dark tunnel and makes me do push-ups until I throw up!!”

Don't wait till the body throws up and you end up in an hospital. Get on that bicycle and keep going. Like I did today. I was in the least bit interested in going for a bike ride as I was nursing a bad mood. But somewhere inside me a voice kept saying (ever since I started cycling I have been listening to that inner voice) "Go, go, get on the bicycle, you'll be real good". After a little bit of hesitation, I got on my bike and went on a 40 km ride. The first 10 km was a very slow ride, but after that I picked up pace and zoomed past the traffic till I reached the end of the city. I cooled my heels for a while and got back on my bike and rode past with an air of serenity writ large all over.

A wonderful feeling it was indeed!! So the next time I know that it is better to get on the bike than to keep wrestling with my mind whether to do it or not to do.

Take care and have fun and don't forget to look forward to loads of humour and biking ecstasy

Breathing life into biking

A potato and a carrot are hitch-hiking at the side of the road when a cyclist comes around the corner and runs down the potato.
The next day the carrot goes to visit his friend in the hospital. The potato does not look too good.
“Tell me, doc,” says the carrot anxiously, “do you think my friend will be okay?”
“He may recover,” replies the doctor, “but frankly, for the rest of his life he will be a vegetable.”

One of the reasons I go for cycling is that I don't want to end up as a vegetable. A life without any vigorous activity like running, jogging, cycling, breathing or going to the gym is akin to a vegetable's. Only when one is religiously into any of these activities or all of them can one discern the difference. Otherwise we tend to take misery to be normal and excitement to be happiness. And both are two sides of the same coin. They keep you depressed after the initial euphoria subsides.

My goal is to complete a 100 mile bike ride. And towards this end I have been going on long rides almost every day. And when I don't get to go on my rides, I go for a 10 km jog or do an hour of intense breathing exercises to compensate for the bike ride. Today was one such day where I couldn't go for a ride. And neither for jogging. So I settled down for an hour of breathing to lift my energy levels. Tomorrow I wish to go on a long ride: a 50 km-odd ride followed by some trekking to a hill-fort in the vicinity. Till then keep biking and have fun.

Wheeling into heaven

A devout cyclist dies and goes to heaven. Saint Peter meets him at the gate. The cyclist asks if there are bicycles in heaven.
Peter says, "Sure, let me show you," and leads the guy into the finest Velodrome you can imagine.
"This is great," the cyclist says.
"You will love it here," says Peter. "You will be fitted a custom track bike, the mechanics will glue on fresh silks each night, and your personal masseuse is always available."
As they speak a blur flys by them on the boards riding a gold plated Cinelli and the cyclist says: "Wow he was fast, that must be Eddy Merck!"
"No," says Peter, "that was God, he only thinks he's Eddy".

Cycling is heaven whatever the critics might say. As we race past on the bike with the wind blowing against our face, and we are drenched in sweat, it produces an exhilaration that cannot be described in words. To make the most of cycling and to bike some more miles I went for a 10 km jog today. The jog instilled in me a serene calm and when I stepped on to the bike after that I felt like a meditator on the move. My body and mind were still and the silence pierced deep into the interior core of my being. To entrench that feeling I biked for a couple of hours before I finally reached home and lied down on the bed to let the ecstatic energy seep into the inner vitals. In effect I had some four hours of biking meditation today and relished the godly feeling. Looking forward for more of that godliness in the coming days.

What a ride it was!!

After being caught up in the workplace for a couple of days, I went on a wonderful ride -- a 40-odd kilometre ride up some mountain terrain in the evening. It was a glorious sight as I cooled my heels at a lake with the sun setting in the background. To cash in on the exhilirating experience, I had a wonderful one hour session of meditation -- one of the best ever in recent times. My mind was so silent and my meditation so deep that it can't be described in words.

Food for cycling thought

A Zen Teacher saw five of his students return from the market, riding their bicycles. When they had dismounted, the teacher asked the students, "Why are you riding your bicycles?"

The first student replied, "The bicycle is carrying this sack of potatoes. I am glad that I do not have to carry them on my back!" The teacher praised the student, saying, "You are a smart boy. When you grow old, you will not walk hunched over, as I do."

The second student replied, "I love to watch the trees and fields pass by as I roll down the path." The teacher commended the student, "Your eyes are open and you see the world."
The third student replied, "When I ride my bicycle, I am content to chant, nam myoho renge kyo." The teacher gave praise to the third student, "Your mind will roll with the ease of a newly trued wheel."

The fourth student answered, "Riding my bicycle, I live in harmony with all beings." The teacher was pleased and said, "You are riding on the golden path of non-harming."

The fifth student replied, "I ride my bicycle to ride my bicycle." The teacher went and sat at the feet of the fifth student, and said, "I am your disciple."

Author Unknown