A firm stomp on the pedal and I am part of the bike. I hop on and drift down the driveway, while
the other foot flips the pedal and clicks in. I am now committed to both speed
and balance. Circular rhythm, head down gaining speed, I surge toward the short hill ahead. I consider what it might be like to clip into wings, suspecting that those too would not be effortless.
the other foot flips the pedal and clicks in. I am now committed to both speed
and balance. Circular rhythm, head down gaining speed, I surge toward the short hill ahead. I consider what it might be like to clip into wings, suspecting that those too would not be effortless.
This morning it is windy. Wind
from the NE means that for one leg of my favorite route, I will feel stronger than I
am. A splendid illusion.
from the NE means that for one leg of my favorite route, I will feel stronger than I
am. A splendid illusion.
It’s a nine-mile loop. Slowing for a cross
road, I remember a story about two men racing to the South Pole. The margin
between winning and losing, life and death, was what the survivor (Robert Falcon Scott) called the 20 mile march. Good weather or bad, extreme or lovely,
20 miles. Only twenty miles. Always the same. Twenty miles of ambition and twenty miles
of self-control.
road, I remember a story about two men racing to the South Pole. The margin
between winning and losing, life and death, was what the survivor (Robert Falcon Scott) called the 20 mile march. Good weather or bad, extreme or lovely,
20 miles. Only twenty miles. Always the same. Twenty miles of ambition and twenty miles
of self-control.
Do not be deceived into thinking
you can beat this plan, I tell myself. Nine-mile loop. Niner.
you can beat this plan, I tell myself. Nine-mile loop. Niner.
Rolling curves, slightly downhill
the first 2 miles, gusts buffet at a 45-degree angle. I hunker down to the
lower curve of the handlebars and tighten my grip. I weave erratically and go
slow. Is it unbecoming to use the word panting?
the first 2 miles, gusts buffet at a 45-degree angle. I hunker down to the
lower curve of the handlebars and tighten my grip. I weave erratically and go
slow. Is it unbecoming to use the word panting?
To distract myself from the work
of it all, I think of danger:
of it all, I think of danger:
· Weaving in front of a passing car that I haven’t
heard coming because of wind noise, BAM.
heard coming because of wind noise, BAM.
· Having a gust deposit me into unstable gravel
and loose dirt. CAN’T GET FEET OUT >>> BPLOOOSH.
and loose dirt. CAN’T GET FEET OUT >>> BPLOOOSH.
· I thank God the fence by the cemetery I’m passing
is chain link not barbed wire, in case I get hit from behind or bumped by a
side view mirror or random trailer that is wider than the driver thought. KaUFFFF aaaAAAAAHHH oooooHHHhhh.
is chain link not barbed wire, in case I get hit from behind or bumped by a
side view mirror or random trailer that is wider than the driver thought. KaUFFFF aaaAAAAAHHH oooooHHHhhh.
Stop sign. Slow. Unclip. Stand in
the calm. Drink. Watch for traffic. Breathe. Heat radiating. Breathe deep. OK. Stomp pedal. Hop on. Flip pedal, stomp in
and onward. Nine miles of WIND.
the calm. Drink. Watch for traffic. Breathe. Heat radiating. Breathe deep. OK. Stomp pedal. Hop on. Flip pedal, stomp in
and onward. Nine miles of WIND.
Drafts buffet & jerk bike
& brain beating me with the thing I failed to consider: one leg of easy
balances three legs of hard. I blow it off with NINE. NINE. NINE.
& brain beating me with the thing I failed to consider: one leg of easy
balances three legs of hard. I blow it off with NINE. NINE. NINE.
All things equal nine. Nine miles.
I take to counting breaths in nines…
I take to counting breaths in nines…
… and turning a corner gales
stop their assault and I SAIL for two miles.
Another turn and I grind it toward home giving myself helpful advice:
stop their assault and I SAIL for two miles.
Another turn and I grind it toward home giving myself helpful advice:
Look where you want to go; you go where you look.
Elbows out.
Don’t rest heavily on the other hand, when you raise an arm to signal.
Lean and the bike turns itself.
Another corner and it’s housing
construction, dirt on the road, trucks, both parked and moving, a car barreling
this way, don’t look at that rock on the
road! Don’t look at that side view mirror! She does not see me, I thread the needle zipping close to the parked truck, look where you want to go …
construction, dirt on the road, trucks, both parked and moving, a car barreling
this way, don’t look at that rock on the
road! Don’t look at that side view mirror! She does not see me, I thread the needle zipping close to the parked truck, look where you want to go …
A shift in sunlight or the sprite of a
sprinkler, what is it that signals us to glance or listen, could it be danger itself
flying unseen right toward us?
sprinkler, what is it that signals us to glance or listen, could it be danger itself
flying unseen right toward us?
I consider this
moment what I would do if a bee, just now, flew in the vent of my helmet…could I hold it together to not
fall in front of the oncoming car, to not turn too quickly and skid on the gravel,
could I not react to stinging my scalp over and over, ignore needles of pain,
keep it steady …
moment what I would do if a bee, just now, flew in the vent of my helmet…could I hold it together to not
fall in front of the oncoming car, to not turn too quickly and skid on the gravel,
could I not react to stinging my scalp over and over, ignore needles of pain,
keep it steady …
… and there it was,
a single line
of rebar slumping four feet off the back of the truck
of rebar slumping four feet off the back of the truck
right toward my belly.
*
Sometimes doing hard things is
setting a goal amidst the good, the bad, wind and calm, or the satisfaction of nine
miles. Sometimes it is paying attention to danger.
setting a goal amidst the good, the bad, wind and calm, or the satisfaction of nine
miles. Sometimes it is paying attention to danger.
And once and a while doing
hard things is a moment of clarity, just in the nick of time.
hard things is a moment of clarity, just in the nick of time.
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– Bitumen Sprayer | Mini Bitumen Sprayer | Mini Concrete Mixer
Stunning Photography and wonderful words 😀 **New Follower …Blessings from UK**
Really got caught up in the telling of this.
I love the rhythm of this one, the reoccurring stomp on the pedal, the niners, the breathing, the cadence of thought. I FEEL the endurance. It's like I flex the muscle there with you. Muscle memory, I feel it starting to take shape. And the turn at the end is perfect.
holy snap…rebar…yikes….glad you were aware enough taking in all of this…and all your internal thoughts…would like to strap on wings…now that would be cool…smiles.