I've found myself thinking long and hard about this question lately. Why do you ride so much? And to be completely honest, I'm not exactly sure. I know riding a bike has helped open me up to new possibilities. It has introduced me to new friends. It has helped me focus on creating a goal and completing a task. Here are a few more discoveries I've made in the past year.
When I ride my mind is still. I feel my life is often full of noise. Noise of traffic, noise of people, noise of the clicking keyboard and ringing phone. Even when those noises are absent, there is a raging torrent of thoughts streaming through my head. I find all those noises are much easier to quiet when I ride my bike. The woosh of the gears and the crinkle of the tires rolling across the pavement ease many of my worries. I love the sound of riding along a gravel road. The rocks squish around my tires in an almost water like way, and as I roll by the air is often only punctuated by the call of the meadowlark or red winged blackbird.
I've found that biking can help you make new friends. Sure a lot of my miles are spent alone. But in riding my bike, I have found a new community. One that doesn't judge for where you've been but pushes you to be greater. I think my bike friends are many of my strongest friends. Their backgrounds are varied as well as their reasons for riding. When we ride together there is a sense of family. We look out for each other. We support each other's endeavors beyond just the bike. Most importantly I think we really try to see and to understand the person underneath the helmet and behind the sunglasses.
I never thought riding could bring so many adventures my way. I've seen several TED talks about how riding a bicycle opens you up to the world in a way that nothing else can, and I have come to agree. When I drive, the purpose is the destination. I use the automobile as climate controlled capsule to get from A to Z as quick as possible and without noticing or really caring what lies between. However on a bike, things are different. You see the world and you live in it. You pay more attention to how all your senses interpret your surroundings. You see things more carefully, more slowly, and in more detail. That is perhaps the greatest unexpected joy I've discovered. I know I'm not the fastest rider, but that's not the point. I think I have come to appreciate the world more when seeing it by bike.
Lastly, I've learned more about myself. I ride to prove to myself I can do it. When I had my injury the most frustrating thing was the removal of mobility. All I wanted to do was take a step. All I wanted to do was be able to leave the house and be outside, but I couldn't. I did nothing but live in a recliner for MONTHS on end. While I can't get that time back, time on my bike feels now feels richer and more real. Riding a bike has helped my health immensely. I've lost almost 60 pounds at this point. 60! I've completed journeys I never thought I could. When I bought my bike in April of 2018, I thought I would set a crazy goal. An unattainable, impossible, wouldn't' that be something special goal. I wanted to ride 500 miles. In my mind that was an immeasurable distance. However, by July I had hit that mark and just kept going. In September I completed my first century ride (100 miles). I ended the year with over 1,200 miles!!! This year I've been inspired by last years success and have set and even bigger goal of 2,000 miles.
So I hope this has given you just a glimpse in the myriad of reasons why I really love to ride my bike and what I've discovered along the way. I hope even more that it gives you some inspiration to get off the couch and be awesome.
'till next time!
-Matt
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