Lighter Note

I admit it, besides listening to AM radio on the way to work, I listen to real music on weekend rides. I find that my preferred cycling music falls into one of three categories. The first, is music that encourages me to keep my cadence up and maybe even apply a touch more power than usual. The second is music that is clearly and explicitly cycling oriented. The third is music that inspires riding characteristics that I like.

In the first category:
Almost anything with a good drum beat or a strong saxophone, and that increases in tempo through the song. "Stairway to Heaven," " Call Me," and the theme to "Local Hero" all come to mind. All these help me ride stronger - and FASTER.

In the second category:
Songs that evoke bike memories, like Queen's "Bicycle Race" and the "Indiana" fight song from "Breaking Away." These are not mostly what I listen to when riding.

The final category (my favorite):
Songs that help inspire me to ride strongly and well in traffic. These may have little to do with cycling on the surface, but they're my favorites by far. Examples of these include "Rebel Blockade Runner" from Star Wars ("It's the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs. I've outrun Imperial starships. Not the local bulk cruisers mind you, I'm talking about the big Corellian ships now. She's fast enough for you old man.."), "Immelman Turn"  and "Fields of France" from Al Stewart and, when feeling contemplative, Sinfonia Antarctica from Vaughn Williams, which formed the sound track to "Scott of the Antarctic." ("We took risks, we knew we took them; things have come out against us, and therefore we have no cause for complaint...")

In this last category, I include anything Irish or with bagpipes in it. Particularly favored are things like "Amazing Grace" when a destination comes into view, or "Fields of Athenry" or "Black Velevet Band" at almost any other time. For reasons unknown, "Deportees" is a frequent repeater. Maybe it's the influence of the back side of restaurants along my routes.

One song I really like when cycling, but don't really like to admit it, I listen to when hubris strikes. It's in that third category as well. "You're So Vain" by Carly Simon. It's the kind of song that is best left for the aftermath of bike handling drills that went really well...