Posted on 07/26/2004 3:42:33 PM PDT by Ramonan
Crawford, Texas - President Bush plunged down hills and plowed through the brush on his high-end, high-performance mountain bike today - and wound up flat on his back.
A bit shaken up, Bush dusted himself off, got back on his bike and kept rolling, a small cut on his knee and dirt on his back the only signs he had wrecked.
With an Associated Press reporter along for the ride, Bush tore around his 1,600-acre Texas ranch today.
A one-time jogger, Bush has been riding the knobby-tired bikes only since February, but he rides with abandon. He went biking today as Democrats gathered in Boston for their convention to nominate Sen. John Kerry as their presidential candidate.
Bush keeps a cramp-inducing pace on the uphills, panting hard by the time he reaches each peak, backing off a little to recover, attacking the next hill just as hard.
His heart rate reached 168 beats per minute, about four times his resting rate and in the same range as Lance Armstrong's when the six-time Tour de France winner is pedaling hard.
"At my age, you're more concerned about the cardiovascular" benefits of a workout, Bush said. Mountain biking, he said, has a certain "mind-clearing" effect on him as well.
(Excerpt) Read more at denverpost.com ...
My money's on Bush. Effin' is a girlie-man.
WOW!
What a MAN!
I'm just outside Waco. Where are you? I am loving this weather. Went to work this morning with the sunroof open. Didn't think I'd be doing that again until October.
Hey yourself! How are you? Yes, he's quite a man, isn't he? No little sissy looking windsurfing wetsuits for our W. I hope he gets some downtime in Texas this week, but it looks like it's more work than play.
Washington Compost: Democrats Call for Independent Commission to Investigate Bush Bike Wreck, Claim Bush "Too Unbalanced for Office"
No spandex? Look again. They look like spandex bike shorts to me. There's nothing sissy about wearing spandex while cycling.
It looks like he is riding a Trek Fuel 90, which costs between $1500 and $1800. This is a very good bike. He's wearing clips on his peddles which makes it difficult to pull your foot away and place it on the ground when you are off balance. As a veteran mountain biker, I can attest that falls can be frequent and are an endemic part of riding.
Well, I am sure he worked up a sweat, but I have to disagree with the "hot and humid" part. Right now in Gainesville Florida it is 86°, but it feels like 90° with the 60% humidity.
Oh, did I mention it is after 8 PM?
It gets pretty dang hot here. Very humid. Hardly any wind in the summer. By comparision, Midland is pretty mild. (Right now in Midland it is 66°).
Anyway, I hope the President is enjoying mountain biking. I know I do...even when it is hotter than Hades.
it's been a long time since I talked to you, how have you been doing?
Ok....I lightened the photo in photoshop...and I can see he isn't wearing all-spandex cycling shorts. Still, bike shorts are made the way they are to prevent chaffing. The shorts W is wearing could have a slick spandex interior lining and baggy exterior, if not, he should get some cycling specific shorts.
Man, that is a nice ride. I prefer Specialized (it fits me better) but it looks like it fits him nicely.
Its only 81 degrees in Crawford today? Amazing. They must have thunderstorms in the area.
I hope I'm not seeing him riding in his body armor, or without a camelback. That would really make the ride harder. (I'm such a wuss when it comes to maintaining hydration.)
Ping
LOL! I was thinking the same thing when I turned the air conditioner off last night.
he's either in over his head or he's pushing it real hard.
Full suspension rocks...
I'm really great. My life is coming together and I love working again except I have no FR time during the day. What about you?
I got a kick out of Britt Hume's comment on the bike fall. He said it sounds like Bush is using his bike riding to clear brush!
LOL
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