Some very interesting comments and ideas there, thank you for sharing.

I've taken everything on board and as a result, have now formulated a cunning plan starting from tomorrow which should see me exploring some new places, on a new bike and I might even meet some new faces ... maybe I just needed a bit of perspective

for me it's mostly a growing family (age not numbers), I simply enjoy spending more time with them at the weekend on the short "coffee ride" than all the hassle of arranging bivi trips.

I've got a new bike (Longitude), tarp tent (Lunar Solo) and numerous other bits of kit that haven't been used yet on overnight trips.

I'm going out to the Clwyds on Friday night and I'm hoping that will wet my appetite again.

Similar to Barney but my kids are leaving the nest so I'm getting time
To do what I want again,Mrs likes hot beach hols and I don't so I get
To go camp/explore again (although she has expressed an interest),
My focus is planning upcoming trips and sorting kit for the same,it gets
Me through the working day

As awful as it sounds a new bike/bit of kit works wonders....

Richard G wrote: Fitness is a bonus, but I think I'd rather be doing weights for that.

Where did you hear that about???????

I think you should save up and go do that race in Japan on the other thread

johnnystorm wrote:As awful as it sounds a new bike/bit of kit works wonders....

He's got one Johnny but he's too cool for it

Being serious, go and ride the fat bike somewhere you don't normally. The beach may be flat but it doesn't half blow away the cobwebs

I'm having an age crisis. It's not so much the riding I enjoy as the still being able to do it.

Ya know when you go out for a ride and you end up on a path less travelled...take a look around. And then think of all the stiffs in their offices that can't smell that air. Drink it in, smile, then crank on. Because there's millions that can't do what you do.

If that doesn't motivate you, when I get back, I'll light that rocket for ya.

Greetz

S.

This might sound conter Intutive, but I find time off the bike motivates me. The phrase 'A change is as good as a rest' sometimes applies
If the time off the bike is injury related (god knows Ive had my share in the last few years) it only makes me more eager to get back on it

I could have accepted my fate and not ridden a bike ever again, but for me that was not an option
Ive dedicated quite a few hours in the gym, following physio excercises etc, but determined that my body will allow me to ride my bike again

Agree with a previous post that having a long term challenge or goal really helps when I get an injury set back
For me sometimes the goals are small (sometimes a little larger) but better than hobbling around with a walking stick for the rest of my life

If not injured, go and do something completely different for a while. I surf and do a bit of rock climbing/mountaineering. When you do get back on the bike again it feels sooooooo good

Fat chicks and bourbon biscuits

I will take your bourbon biscuits and raise you to a custard cream or a mint viscount

Mart wrote:I will take your bourbon biscuits and raise you to a custard cream or a mint viscount

I take it you've seen this site - http://www.nicecupofteaandasitdown.com/ (safe for work)

whitestone wrote:

Mart wrote:I will take your bourbon biscuits and raise you to a custard cream or a mint viscount

I take it you've seen this site - http://www.nicecupofteaandasitdown.com/ (safe for work)

I've got their book. It's ace.

Back to the original question: At the moment, nothing motivates me, Stu. Seriously, nothing.

I intermittently go out on my bike just to see where I end up (because that works sometimes), but nothing's exactly firing the requisite neurons to get me excited about stuff. That said, I'm headed off on a big international trip for a couple of weeks (not biking, other stuff) and the past month at least has had me utterly bogged down in work, trying to get a major project sorted to at least a given pause point before I head away. Exactly the kind of situation where riding my bike would have some potentially lovely stress-relieving endorphiny benefits, but I just can't muster the enthusiasm. I need to lose some weight, and god knows riding my bike should help me with that, but still, nada.

I need to lose some weight, I need to sort my fitness out, I need to get out more... Still not happening. Meh. Hoping when I get back from abroad, the head will have cleared and I'll feel less bunkered down. I've got some lovely plans for later in the summer, but for now, just need to get whatever this is out of the way first.

Not so much a 'help' response, but very much a 'you are not alone on this' one. Hope you get yourself sorted!

whitestone wrote: I take it you've seen this site - http://www.nicecupofteaandasitdown.com/ (safe for work)

Ha ha not seen this before - Love it

Mart wrote:This might sound conter Intutive, but I find time off the bike motivates me. The phrase 'A change is as good as a rest' sometimes applies
If the time off the bike is injury related (god knows Ive had my share in the last few years) it only makes me more eager to get back on it

Mart wrote: When you do get back on the bike again it feels sooooooo good

Seconded.


I also commute to work - which often is not particularly enjoyable. However, I then get in the car sometimes and re-realise that sitting in traffic is rubbish and wish I was on the bike
I suppose you're a bit spoilt where you live Stu

I have the solution: first three weeks of the summer holiday, you can look after our kids while me and Beth go for a long off road tour on the bikes. When we get back, your motivation to ride will be cured. Simples

Basically until I was 32 (I'm 35 now) I was a smoker, hated exercise, wasn't really arsed about my own health and was happy enough just doing what I wanted. Then my wife gave birth to our son. Since then I've realised I was taking way too much for granted. So I decided I'd get healthier, nothing mental, but just try to do something. I've quit smoking (still struggle from time to time), I've bought both a road bike and a MTB seeing as it was one of the few forms of exercise I actually find interesting. Another thing, that was probably also brought to my attention by the birth of my son in some round about way, was that I was taking Wales for granted. I live in a beautiful country with cast swathes of coastline, countryside etc and I've hardly done any exploring, I can still get lost. I've decided I should be enjoying the area more. I suppose one other factor that motivates me, is that since George was born, I've had less time to just bum around and be bored. As I'm busier with him, and work I'm taking more advantage of the time when I'm not busy, and that motivates me to get off my arse, get out there and do something, instead of watching TV, eating junk and moaning about being bored. I've decided that it should not be possible to be bored, it makes no sense, there's too much world to see, and too much to do!




Well, that was cathartic!

Ian wrote:I have the solution: first three weeks of the summer holiday, you can look after our kids while me and Beth go for a long off road tour on the bikes. When we get back, your motivation to ride will be cured. Simples

I've got two little cherubs you can borrow too.
Thinking about it, I'll chuck the wife in for free.

My motivation comes from reading other people's trip reports then scaling them back to allow for daily taxi runs for the kids clubs that they do.

I've done one proper ride in the last 6 weeks, maybe even longer. It was on the MTB but more of a CX ride. Just haven't been motivated to go to the effort recently, and haven't had the time

But I've been on the bike lots - local errands, taking the kids on the back or in the trailer, and lots of commuting to work (tomorrow will be 5 out of 5 days) and I'm loving it. I'm just enjoying using the bike, it's all road or tarmac path, nothing fast or challenging, but lots of fun

I don't need motivation. ..I need time ..With 2 kids and a wife that works 3 weekends a month ..It's hard to get out for a bivi ..

RobMac wrote:

Richard G wrote: Fitness is a bonus, but I think I'd rather be doing weights for that.

Where did you hear that about???????

Why would anybody want to spend time in a sweaty room full of awful music and gurning apes in vests?

For me and mates with much more demanding jobs than mine, getting away for a biking trip is just about living in the moment. The simplicity, ability to think clearly, soak up the locality - ideally somewhere new, sunny and beautiful! Just being free of the usual tedious crap, not fretting about emails, deadlines, office politics, all of which is really not important in the big picture. Riding the same local routes can get a bit dull - variety is the spice of life - so finding ways to add a new twist might help.

I am also a mug for new toys, but chasing the consumer dream cannot be healthy!

I've got my own gym... so perfect solitude for me.

I need set goals like bivi week ends to aim for because I rarely have access to the car which means that I can lose motivation to go out on regular rides locally. Having said that I can't really complain as the Pentland Hills is my local riding area.

For me its the feeling of freedom and the peace and quite to let your mind just switch off!

Oh and generally the views!