Defining the Ineffable: a new series on Cycotherapy
Can it be done? Let's find out together.
Dear fellow cycopaths,
I wrote a newsletter in September about my learning of a new, two-letter word: Ma. It’s one of those words that can be used to describe so many things, cycling included.
It remains one of the most-read posts since launching Cycotherapy.
Writing about Ma got me thinking. Is there a way to fully grasp the ineffable joys of riding a bike? Has anyone ever fully described that shared feeling? What words and metaphors and poems out there do it justice? Can it be done?
And so I’ve started asking people who are better writers, thinkers and cyclists than me. I reached out to cyclists, writers, mechanics, Youtubers, and riders and asked them to describe the feeling that cycling gives them.
What I got was a beautiful assemblage of words that take a pretty great stab at something that is impossible: finding the perfect phrase that describes the joys of cycling.
This coming Sunday, I will launch the first installment of this series featuring one of my favorite writers right now, Eben Weiss. He’s the man known as BikeSnobNYC and a frequent contributor to Outside magazine. When asked to describe the feeling that cycling gives him, he likened it to listening to music.
In subsequent weeks, we’ll hear from Dave Wiens, Syd Shulz, MTB racer Kyle Trudeau, Trina Ortega, James Murren of MTBeer, Kate Wagner of derailleur and many others, including some of our very own cycopaths.
I’m excited about this.
Oh! Another new thing, I made some stickers. Cycotherapy now has its very own sticker that is available to buy. Get yours for $3.
In the picture above, I didn’t include a bottle cap or a quarter or something to show scale. So I guess you’ll have to imagine the size of a 3x2 inch sticker. They will look great on your preferred sticker canvas, if you so choose to purchase one.
You will also notice a new “button” attached to certain posts on Cycotherapy. Clicking this button will take you to a Stripe link that allows you to enter an amount of currency that will come out of your bank account and into Cycotherapy’s.
I wasn’t comfortable putting this newsletter behind a paywall. It’s too soon, and we’re all having too much fun still. Money complicates things. But it also keeps a good thing going.
So if you’re inclined, feel free to send Cycotherapy some cash. The money will be used to grow the newsletter and indirectly tell me, “Hey. Good job. Keep it up.”
Thanks for going on this journey with me and for your support. I really appreciate it and I look forward to seeing how this newsletter grows from here out.