Crazy

The world has really gone mad for different foods since I was young. I freely admit to being a perpetuator of this movement from my teens and with whoever was adventurous enough to go in on it.  As a kid in the 60's anything that was not 'American' food was looked upon as an exotic meal only to be had on very special occasions and never more than once a month. And the people you saw in there were somewhat more into 'cuisine' and conversation than just a good meal and go. By the time 1979 rolled around I had eaten Thai, Sushi, Korean, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Indian, Real Mexican (not Taco Bell), Brazilian, Costa Rican, French, German and the like but not as curiosities but as a way of thinking and enjoyment. This was the San Francisco bay area and all her bounty was at my disposal.
To day as the wife and I sat in an 'Asian' but mostly American restaurant, I looked around and saw not the seeker or the gourmet who looked forward to this as a dining experience by every day folks from all walks of life who just chose this place to eat as one would chose which fast food restaurant to get a 'burger' in. Don't get me started on my favorite burgers or I'll never get to the point. Yes there is a point here but I just can't seem to find it...oh yah.
It struck me at that moment when I was young and exploring Yoga, meditation and of course my great love, cycling,  it was just the tip of the spear. It was us intrepid few the hand full of restless ones who sought more from life than a roast for dinner and a 9 to 5 job. I'm not knocking a 9 to 5 either, trust me. It's just that now where I live it is commonplace on any morning to see ten to fifteen guys in full kit on a carbon bike headed out for a forty to sixty mile ride and no one gives them a second look...NO ONE. It's not exotic or unusual or even on a special occasion, it's just life and everyone is doing it. Running, cycling, Yoga, swimming and it's just great.
I remember how each time I had to go to the bike shop that had pro gear it was out of the way and I mean way out of the way. That is after I searched in the yellow pages to find it or maybe it was just dumb luck that I stumbled onto it at all. Which ever it was, more or less, the fact remains that cycling found me when I didn't know I was looking for it but I knew I was bitten by the bug from there on after. Me and a few others like me who knew they were onto something but it was not for mass consumption, it was to exotic.
Bottom line is everyone takes for granted that they can just find a great place to have a fine meal at what was once hard to find and the only reason you went there to 'try it'. Because, after all, you had it once before when your great aunt visited and you wanted to give her a 'treat of a lifetime' and you didn't remember everything but you think you liked it. Same with our new found organic-yoga-running-cycling lifestyle, it was once for trying now it's in our everyday vocabulary and I think it fits us really well. I'm truly glad at the transformation of this positive force in our lives in only 30 years. That's crazy right?
If I see you on the road stop Peets, because your buying.