Tripping the Light Fantastic

Well to be accurate the studio in Roslyn with no windows is like spinning through a glass darkly (Ingmar Bergman, 1961) with just enough illumination to absorb visually from the bodies in motion that aid my energetic explosion in Mr. Doherty’s class.  

As much as I love the 715 in Woodbury the Roslyn experience is growing on me. I love the full studio and even though the constituents are like crickets when you happen by they are no less committed to a fast and furious workout.  This day witnessed a boyhood friend of Tripp who resides in Massachusetts along with his lovely wife Kristen (I would never forget that name) taking his class for the first time and as I glanced over from my vantage their faces were beaming to see their old friend and performance artist practice one of the things he does best and that is gesticulate wildly along with relating a myriad of stories about life that have us all transfixed while we pedal away the hour that goes by in a blink. 

There are many ingredients that have gone into changing my life and spin is near the top of the class in terms of a chosen behavior that has remarkably altered my form and acted as a bolster to my own self-esteem as well as becoming the differentiator in my mind of blessed creativity.  I don’t think these are wild claims either because when you make a decision to exercise daily the rest of the day can never be the same without it.  One might say that I have passion and enthusiasm but until this particular regimen this Jack’s persona was on “mute”.  No longer as most of you might agree. 

Tonight the twins Marjorie and Rose are spearheading their AIDS LIFECYCLE charity ride with two 45-minute sessions at 4 and 5 PM. I hear there are still a few bikes available so come on out to make their gift of life a success. Check them on Face Book for the details.  

Tripple Play

What better day than a Friday for a Tripple Play?  Entering the studio in Woodbury I told myself that I was just going to finish out the 6 am and stay for the 715 and that’s it!  Of course I knew that this particular day a special one to me was better served if I took the 830 in Roslyn as well.  And that group in Roslyn is rather a solemn bunch. If it not for the exhortations of Tripp you might not hear a sound above the din of the music. I was determined to change that. 

The week marked by so many members away on Easter-Passover holiday made it seem like a holiday right at home because the hustle and bustle of the week was absent and getting anywhere to the gym getting to work and home again for the most part was marked mostly by the dearth of traffic in all the lanes.  

And although Tripp keeps talking about how we need not focus on our age in years as any excuse for us not being able to give it a maximum effort (which I believe for the most part) a 3rd class might just be pushing it for this sexagenarian. (What’s a sexagenarian Jack?) I told myself that I was going to pace myself but that never works for me.  I give it all up because that’s how I roll, whether that is prudent or not.  I can tell you though that I am feeling lethargic today after spinning with Dana this morning and so a Sunday spin is probably not in the cards.  

Tripp seemed incredulous that some riders actually don’t know who Mick Jagger is. I am amazed how people under 30 have such a small sense of history. If it didn’t happen when they were alive it simply didn’t happen. A sad commentary because I think that so many that have grown up in the Internet age and having the phenomenal tool of Google are experiencing the unfortunate side effect of killing the curiosity in us.  I know I have gotten off track here and maybe this commentary belongs in Jackbriant.blogspot.com

Hey I am not sure if he was kidding but when I asked him who Steve McQueen was he didn’t seem to know either. Well maybe he was just pulling my leg. 

In any case travels with Tripp are always an experience because just like that box of chocolates you just don’t know what you’re gonna  get.  

Hey did you know that a woodchuck only lives two years? And if he could chuck wood he might be able to take 3 spin classes too. 

The Joey Bishop Show with Regis Philbin

It was an emotional class today I suspect as Tripp had a visitor a cousin in fact that he hadn’t seen in 20 years. I have never had such an experience but seeing Mica must have made Tripp’s heart skip a beat. I may be totally off here but that is just what I was feeling as he pranced around the confines of the Lavender Palace. Mica for her part had a burgeoning smile for most of the class and might have been wondering wild metaphors as she watched her kin in a setting she could never have imagined.  

The ride felt especially poignant today with Mica’s presence and she may have wondered who that guy was on #13 who had that open dialogue with the Trippster.  She should only know that the Joey Bishop-Regis Philbin show airs every time these two play light the fire in the CS.  I think I just might have to visit Roslyn on Friday morning because they’re such a quiet bunch.