Bush, a "biking maniac," loves leaving aides in dust

The Baltimore Sun , The Seattle Times ^ | Sunday, February 13, 2005 | By Julie Hirschfeld Davis

[gwb43_2004]

WASHINGTON — Cancel the cozy days at Camp David, Md. Put away the underused running shoes. When it comes to weekend enjoyment, all President Bush seems to need is some winding trails and a helmet.

And his mountain bike.

Bush recently has been logging scores of miles on a secluded spread in Beltsville, Md., and the rolling hills of Quantico, Va., far from the White House.

"He's become a biking maniac," said Mark McKinnon, his media adviser and frequent cycling companion.

What began as a way for the president to stay fit, after three decades of running ruined his knees, is now his passion.

Besides burning calories at a 1,000-per-hour clip, cycling gives Bush an emotional rush that sometimes surpasses the one he got from running.

[Cosmo]

Hell, I do both, but you find far more weenies on the road.

[snugs]

Thought we needed a picture

[ScottFromSpokane]

Road bikers don't need to use words such as "extreme" (or pseudo-words such as "kranked") to pump up their own masculinity.

QED.

[Beckwith]

Don't forget ice hockey...remember Kerry skating around the rink like a major league troll with some ex-Bruins...I kept wishing Ray Bourque would lay an open-ice concussion-maker on him.

Wouldn't that be a wonderful sight? One of those cartwheels, about four feet into the air and into the ice, head first.

[snugs]

This hopefully is better size

[goldstategop]

Perhaps the President can give mtn biking legend Gary Fisher a run for the money! (laughing)

Denny Crane: "There are two places to find the truth. First God and then Fox News."

[ohioWfan]

Proof of the spill...........

Red badges of courage. :o)

[ScottFromSpokane]

Oh, sure, Van Morrison. Right.

Obviously, those headphones are so Karl Rove can tell Bushitler how to operate the pedals.

[paul51]

Cyclists are real men (though road cyclists are far more macho than mountain bikers)

I guess it beats ballet

[festus]

You got the DNC talking point fax I see.......

[Victoria Delsoul]

cycling gives Bush an emotional rush that sometimes surpasses the one he got from running.

LOL, hard to believe.

[deport]

You should try RAGBRAI.

---

He may try the Hotter 'n Hell 100 once he leaves the WH......

HNH start plus 10 min.

[ProudVet77]

It's not unusual to burn calories at the same rate on a bike as you do running. The calories are 1/2 per mile on a bike (on average), and you travel twice as fast on a bike. If I remember his running pace and his weight, 1K calorie/hr is about right.
He really has gotten the bug. I know the feeling. Riding is so much more fun and easier on your body. And the scenery changes more often! During the summer when it's hot it's self cooling (well, kinda). Plus you carry your own water.

[snugs]

Whats your problem?

[Vision]

Where is that?

[ohioWfan]

He was kidding, snugs.

[beaver fever]

Opps I offended a roadie.

That didn't take long.

I rode the North Shore for a couple of years between 1990 and 1993.

I just turned forty and I was taught how to ride by a group of teenagers I was working with.

They called me "Geezer" and sometimes "Crash King" because I had a habit of falling into ravines and not getting hurt.

Believe me when North Shore riders use the word extreme the are not exaggerating. I anything they're guilty of understatement.

[txrangerette]

It's sarcasm.

[mhx]

He's become ...king ...

[ThePythonicCow]

That's a nasty bit of road rash. He should wear some cyclists gloves - would have protected the palm of his hand. Thanks for the ping, Ohio.