Does There Have to be a Point?

A little while after I'd switched to my multi-modal commute, I got talking to some businessmen on the train.

In one of those odd coincidences that happens occasionally, they turned out to be salesmen for a software product I'd once implemented.  After catching up a little on developments in their company, and at my former site, talk turned to my cycling.

"So, how many miles do you do?"

"Today, it'll be about 30 - I don't get the train all the way."

"30? Wow, what are you training for?"

"Er - well, nothing."

"No? So you're doing all that cycling every day?"

"Yeah, I like it."

"But not for anything?"

"Well, just enjoyment, I suppose."

"Oh, er, right."

You see, I ride a road bike, (although in the last couple of years, I overwinter on the Brompton) and I do wear bike specific clothing (but not on the Brompton, it's only 7 miles round trip, after all).  People tend to think that that means "training".  However I do those things because they make an hour or so on the bike each day comfortable, and mostly fun.

I do longer rides on Sundays as well, although again, these have little point beyond seeing how far I can get before the Mrs. Monkey crossness threshold is breached - there's a premium on covering a decent distance in under 3 hours, or simply seeing a new place in that time.  If there has to be a point to being out in the beautiful countryside around Cheshire, I think I'd rather not know about it. 

I can't rule out the possibility of working towards something, an event, or perhaps another tour, but for now, I don't really mind whether my cycling has a point or not.  The only cycling goal I've set this year, and one that I've not missed each year, on balance, since I started riding, is to have fun.

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