Clearing Your Mind
My wife has a tag line on her email that says, “A good long ride can clear your mind and restore your faith.” I love that line. It’s a great reminder to me every time I get an email from her.
Here’s what I’ve discovered about that tag line: a good, long ride only does those things if you actually take the good, long ride. In other words, for it to be more than just words, you need to put it in action.
It’s something I haven’t done much of this year. When I look at my odometer, I realize that I’ve only put approximately 2,000 kms on my bike so far. Not good. Sure, I could blame it on the lousy weather we’ve experienced here in Ottawa (has there been a day without rain so far this season?). Or, I could blame my busy schedule for why I’m not getting out more on my bike. I could even use the excuse that my bike is not running right (hopefully I finally fix those carb issues this weekend).
The reality is, all those excuses doesn’t change the fact that I’ve only put 2,000 kms on my bike this year. After last year, when I registered my lowest ever mileage for a season (about 14,000 kms), I determined that this year would be different. This year, I would be back up in the low 20,000 km range. I have a long way to go in order to see that happen.
Yesterday I jumped on my bike and headed to the office. As the engine roared to life and I swung my leg over the beast, I felt at peace. For the moment, it was purring just as it should. I took my time getting to work, just wanting to feel the wind in my face. It was chilly out, and before long, I could feel the tears that come from a cool wind. Even though I took my time, the ride was still too short. If it wasn’t for my scheduled appointment, I probably would have kept going. As I climbed off her in the parking lot, I took this picture with my iPhone. 
I sent it through Twitter, with the promise that we would spend time together. And we did. I had four appointments that day, and with the exception of the first one, they were all outside my office. I spent the rest of the day riding around the city going from meeting to meeting. It was great.
She seemed to sense my need to ride. Only once did the carb misbehave, and then, it was for just a few minutes. The rest of the time, we were one again. Those who ride understand exactly what I mean by that statement.
As I left each meeting, my mind was on what was talked about over coffee or lunch. But only for a minute. It’s true what Heather has at the bottom of her emails, a good, long ride really can clear the mind. Within minutes of each meeting, all I was focused on was the sound of her pipes as she sang a melody of peace. All cares, concerns, and worries were lifted for those precious moments of riding.
Yes, this weekend I rebuild the carburetor. Hopefully it solves the issues my bike is having at this time. And then, I begin fulfilling that promise I made to myself at the end of last riding season. It may be the middle of July, but from this point forward, it’s time to put some miles on my bike. I’m 9,000 kms away from hitting 200,000 and this is the year that happens.
Perhaps you’ve been in the same boat. Maybe your bike has sat there, waiting for you to be done with the excuses. Waiting to help you clear your mind and restore your faith. It’s time to ride again.