adambohannon

Yesterday afternoon my brother and I went on an hour-long bike ride along the San Diego coast. The weather was amazing and the view from Coast Hwy is remarkable, especially near the Carlsbad area. Since this was my first time riding in dense traffic on a road bike and this is something I have never shared with my brother (nor my father) I felt I should reflect on the experience. Both my brother and my father are triathletes and they have been since I was young. I never got into doing triathlons, but I have always been a runner, starting young and continuing until now. As a competitor I stopped running track after high school, but I still enjoy going for a run now and then to clear the cob-webs from my head. They have always tried to talk me into doing a triathlon, but I’ve always denied – not enough time to train and frankly it’s something I’m not very interested in (doing myself, that is).

I have, for a couple years, wanted to get into cycling (or at least try it out). So yesterday my brother decided to take me out on a ride (complete with the sponsor covered spandex and speedy looking helmet). I thought this was a great opportunity to see what all the hype was about. Both my brother and father are very active in the triathlon subculture. When I visit my father in Overland Park, him and I usually hang out with his triathlon buddies (which consists of me listening to them talk about their training and upcoming races). I had pondered a few years ago doing an ethnography of their group as they trained and subsequently participated in an Ironman, of which my father along with multiple of his friends have done many all over the country. They certainly are a different breed. They have all the qualities that we anthropologists like to attribute to a “culture” – seemingly religious concern with physical wellness and personal achievement, camaraderie among fellow triathletes (in Overland Park they have a tight-knit group called “KC Multisport”), and frequent rituals (training and races) that serve to reinforce their beliefs and further define their community. So keeping all this in mind I accompanied my brother on a bike ride to gain a kernel of insight into one piece of the triathlon lifestyle.

After an initial learning curve, we were off (the funky handle bars and tiny peddles are a pain to get used to). The Encinitas/Leucadia/Carlsbad/Oceanside area pretty much has bike lanes every where you go which is super-convenient. We started pretty slow, getting passed by fellow bikers along the way (who always seemed to acknowledge our presence). My brother explained to me I should shift gears frequently in order to keep the same cadence in my legs the entire time. He also explained to me the correct positioning of my body which KILLED my perineum as well as the pad’s of my hands. Aside from the initial pain the whole experience was really enjoyable. When the bike lane eventually widened we rode side-by-side and talked about our recent move to SD, among other things. It was exhilarating to be coasting along with the cars, taking in the scenery around me, and doing it all on my own two legs. When we decided to turn around and head back we had a bit of a head wind which made the ride a little more difficult but just enough not to be impossible for my first ride. Indeed, my legs were numb when we finally got back, but it felt great. The endorphins were surging through my brain putting me in a state of mild bliss and the sense of personal accomplishment after riding 12 miles on my own two legs was satisfying.

Since I can work from home (if I ever get *absolute* confirmation that I can start working) I’m going to try and stay active, possibly through cycling. If that doesn’t work out I will fall back to my staple of running. My brother really seemed to enjoy the whole experience (as I would have expected – he’s been doing it for a long time). We stopped briefly along the way to take in the ocean and watch a few surfers who were hanging out with 4 or 5 dolphins that were riding the tide in. He told me that’s one of the reasons he loves riding, especially in the mountains or some place with beautiful scenery. You never know what you’re going to see. I couldn’t agree more… the ride yesterday was a lot of fun and I hope to continue my participant observation soon.

Tagged: anthropology, cycling, my life, san diego