What do you do to get out of the darkness ?

[kendo57]

Well my year has not been good, my immune system decided to attack my muscles at the end of last year,
i already have rheumatoid Arthritis.
Four months later i had gone from 11.5 stone to 9.5 stone and most of my muscle and strength has gone.
My usual stress buster is to get out on the bike with the Gf but last week i sadly sold my mint BMW XR as it
seemed pointless leaving it sat in the garage unridden.
So after months of tests , biopsies and scans i am starting a BIO drug treatment next week , i have been told
its not a quick fix but i am hoping next year i might be able to buy a bike again.
My GF has been an angel throughout so i try to keep positive as much for her than me, i will have a lot
of making up to do when i get through this.

[weeksy]

How are we all doing now then?

Bit of sunshine and warmer weather helping?

Any coping mechanisms found that others may find useful?

[Couchy]

How are we all doing now then?

Bit of sunshine and warmer weather helping?

Any coping mechanisms found that others may find useful?

Work is stressful, dealing with dementia dad and local authority is stressful, not holidaying is getting to me too. Tbh I’m close to throwing work away for a year and trying something else, can’t be any worse than now.

[wheelnut]

How are we all doing now then?

Bit of sunshine and warmer weather helping?

Any coping mechanisms found that others may find useful?

Nights are drawing in now. Soon be dark at 5 o’clock.

[wheelnut]

Work is stressful, dealing with dementia dad and local authority is stressful, not holidaying is getting to me too. Tbh I’m close to throwing work away for a year and trying something else, can’t be any worse than now.

Not having a holiday in the sun is really starting to get on my nerves too now. Ready for a break that doesn’t involve rain.

[Dodgy69]

Having a good ride out is definitely good for the head. All thoughts on the road ahead. On return home a happy refreshing feeling and a smile.

Looking forward to something like a weekend away, if you can find any vacancies, is good. I'm currently arranging financial advice calls as I have decided to wind it down from year end. 55 in November, so fuck it. Lost too many friends , too young.

Imo, if you and the mrs don't go daft with the dollars, you can live pretty cheap. Tom Good style.

[asmethurst99]

Having a good ride out is definitely good for the head. All thoughts on the road ahead. On return home a happy refreshing feeling and a smile.

Looking forward to something like a weekend away, if you can find any vacancies, is good. I'm currently arranging financial advice calls as I have decided to wind it down from year end. 55 in November, so fuck it. Lost too many friends , too young.

Imo, if you and the mrs don't go daft with the dollars, you can live pretty cheap. Tom Good style.

I'm out the door hopefully in 18 months - does change your outlook

[Noggin]

The sun has made a massive difference to me. And seeing milestones in my shoulder recovery - I couldn't see much difference for 3/4 months so that was making me miserable too (stupid really because all the driving I was doing to get to lessons and physio etc meant that muscles were building and movement was getting better, but it wasn't 'visible'!!)

I suspect it will be autumn before I have a bike registered here, but that's still 2 - 3 months of riding and it won't be stupidly hot then either. And that's something AWESOME to look forward to

One thing that I've found that helps me is going for a walk!!! Everyone knows that I'm sure but I've never been into going for a walk. As kids we had bicycles and horses and eventually I got into bikes. I generally lived far enough from everyone that I needed to drive to get to see people/go places. Who needed to go for a walk!! Up here I've always struggled for breath much sooner than anyone I might walk with even when I was fit - something to do with physiology apparently

But, the days I get up earlier than normal and go for a walk up the road and back are so very different. I've missed a few days and then went today and yup - massive difference

So when the kitten wakes me up in future I'll just get up and go for a walk (better for me to go out before the world arrives for work (numerous building sites up here, so the road gets busy!)

The kitten helped a bit too - not the first week when she was ill, but since then she's been great. I know she won't be staying but for now she's fun, mad, loony and occasionally snuggly - and even when she goes to a new home, I'll know that I helped her for the time she's with me, so that's cool

[weeksy]

So how are we all doing now? Winter it seems is finally moving on, the nights are getting a bit lighter and the mornings a bit warmer.

Are some of us struggling with the WFH side of things?

Or even just being with your other half every minute? Or maybe the opposite for the singles here, struggling to get out and find someone?

What's helping keep you same?

For me as you'll guess by now, it's pushing pedals round and looking at the fields, the sky, the trees and animals. Not going flat out, just seeing the world. Every now and again throwing in a bit of a hard effort for cardio.

[Count Steer]

Started swimming again. (Joined a place with a gym, pool, golf course - so swimming, gym-bike riding etc. Not golfing....gave up years ago and gave Adam Abel my clubs ).

Liking the light mornings and everything going green again too.

[MingtheMerciless]

Struggling with motivation at present, MTB is very hit and miss. Part of it is I know work will be exceptionally busy this year with project work etc but I've got a right dose of the Grims. Motorcycling to work along the A27 is rubbish as well. All this hasn't helped my IBS which has been reaming me out for the last month so I'm on a really bland diet to try and sort that out but chicken/fish etc and rice is only appealing for so long.

Right that's enough moaning, Rule 5.

[Taff]

the last few months have been a bit interesting.

it started off with Gout in my toe...fuck me that hurts....lots.
that led to a blood test at the doctors and the results included the words...pre-diabetic .

tbh this wasn't much of a surprise because I know that I like chocolate and sweets and crisps way too much, and working from home, and having crappy foods on tap is a perfect (slowly brewing) storm.......

so a change in diet has thrown my mentals all over the place, at the same time work is ramping up in pressure, the MTB or Zwift hasn't moved for a while and training / competing the dogs seems to have been way too much of a stress event, oh, and dealing with people that I haven't had to interact with for 2 years

it's settling down a bit now, and there's a danger that eating lettuce might actually mean that I lose a bit of weight

[asmethurst99]

On a major diet to avoid pills - going well so far.
The child is struggling (like lots of others) but there is light at the end of the Tunnel.
Started cycling to work again …

[Asian Boss]

PAWGs.

[David]

Noggers..pussy cats are vital to health and happiness..we have three. Swmbo'd has decided we will be moving ( penrhow Felin at sy 23 4bg) and leaving this very high (1300ft plus) and isolated house...we have had an offer 10% above the asking, which was more than twice what we paid 8 years ago..we just have to find somewhere to liBut...getting out of the dark..can't help..never got in there.

[Trinity765]

Life is crazy at the moment but not bad. January was very hard because I feared my Mum was dying and the doctor agreed so I moved in. She is a lot better than she was but she still needs constant care. I hit some of my lowest lows and phoned the NHS for help who said "sure, you can have a live in carer". So here we are. I went back to the office (again) yesterday which was a bit surreal, like the first time after covid. No one is wearing masks anymore, there is no longer a one way system around the building and you don't have to enter via the main door and heat camera - so it's "normal" apart from there's no one there.

I've been busy getting the new carer settled in. She hasn't got a car and doesn't know the area so I've just taken her to do a weekly shop. My Mum is going to eat well which I'm really pleased about.

I was supposed to be going to Nick Sander's Mach festival later this month but I've just cancelled. Last year we had a proper blast getting there and then I spent the whole weekend drunk without going off site. There was a special atmosphere as we'd all been in lockdown and it was the first proper get together that most of us had been to for some time. This year will be just as good and I'm sorry I can't go but there is no phone signal or internet and I don't want to abandon my family like that right now.

I find my peace at the top of mountains and there's no reason why I can't sort that out for myself as soon as I'm happy the carer knows the ropes. I haven't decided what to do or where to go - jump on a plane and see some foreign mountains, stay in a cave or shepherds hut somewhere or ride around Wales. Just being able to plan it if I want to means a lot to me.

[Yorick]

Life is crazy at the moment but not bad. January was very hard because I feared my Mum was dying and the doctor agreed so I moved in. She is a lot better than she was but she still needs constant care. I hit some of my lowest lows and phoned the NHS for help who said "sure, you can have a live in carer". So here we are. I went back to the office (again) yesterday which was a bit surreal, like the first time after covid. No one is wearing masks anymore, there is no longer a one way system around the building and you don't have to enter via the main door and heat camera - so it's "normal" apart from there's no one there.

I've been busy getting the new carer settled in. She hasn't got a car and doesn't know the area so I've just taken her to do a weekly shop. My Mum is going to eat well which I'm really pleased about.

I was supposed to be going to Nick Sander's Mach festival later this month but I've just cancelled. Last year we had a proper blast getting there and then I spent the whole weekend drunk without going off site. There was a special atmosphere as we'd all been in lockdown and it was the first proper get together that most of us had been to for some time. This year will be just as good and I'm sorry I can't go but there is no phone signal or internet and I don't want to abandon my family like that right now.

I find my peace at the top of mountains and there's no reason why I can't sort that out for myself as soon as I'm happy the carer knows the ropes. I haven't decided what to do or where to go - jump on a plane and see some foreign mountains, stay in a cave or shepherds hut somewhere or ride around Wales. Just being able to plan it if I want to means a lot to me.

Hope you find summat good

[Count Steer]

I find my peace at the top of mountains and there's no reason why I can't sort that out for myself as soon as I'm happy the carer knows the ropes. I haven't decided what to do or where to go - jump on a plane and see some foreign mountains, stay in a cave or shepherds hut somewhere or ride around Wales. Just being able to plan it if I want to means a lot to me.

Here's a little inspiration. Some random bloke heading for the Matterhorn.

[Dodgy69]

I've been pedalling more lately, then pub for beers and some much needed man chat. Great medicine , man chat.

Been saving the Mt tyres to squeeze out another trackday.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Works a bit stressful at the moment with too many projects and not enough time, my daughter is making a mountain out of mole hill about going to university and my son shows no interest in his GCSEs, but riding my EMTB and motorbike give me time where I get away from the crap, got plenty of bikes to fiddle with as well, so keeping my mind occupied to stop me thinking about stuff seems to be the answer for me.