To give you a glimpse into this morning's bike ride, aside from a few trips to the Ocean, I had never felt wind ANYTHING like what I did this morning.
What would usually be a 15 minute segment of my weekly ride, ended up doubling in time. All you dog owners remember the feeling of putting your puppy on a leash for the first time? How you end up going for a drag more than a walk? Similarly, I went for a push rather than a ride.
And yet....it was EXHILARATING! Waking up this morning and seeing the white pines bending and folding under the southerly wind's gale, I knew the ride was going to be interesting. In embarking on this trip, I know that we will be experiencing a slew of weather concoctions and that we can prepare ourselves for anything we may encounter: strong wind, cold rain, blowing snow and beyond.
I had a suspicion that the gentleman who drove up to his mailbox, ran out of the car, and back in with the newspaper flapping fiercely in his arms thought I was insane. As I cycled past, I imagined him heading into work saying: "Man, there was some crazy girl on her bike this morning getting blown around all over the place. Those insane bikers." And that thought fueled me all the more to keep going. As I turned East the wind calmed down and you can imagine how fast going North ended up being! Smooth sailing all the way.
Shifting gears slightly, (pun definitely intended!!) I ask myself: what does it mean to engage in meaningful adventure? Not adventure for the sake of coming back to be able to tell the tale, not for the sake of being able to say "I did it", and not for the sake of checking it off one's list....but truly engaging it and being present with it for its own sake. I suppose one could ask the very same thing about life: how to engage it, not for the envy, interest, intrigue of others, and not as a to-do list, but simply in and of itself.
Recently I spoke with a friend of mine from Kenya. He has been doing volunteer work with children diagnosed with cancer for more years than I've been alive. I wanted to hear from him, someone who still chooses to see beauty despite witnessing so much suffering, what he would have me do or watch for as I bike across my own country. He asked me to gather written wishes for children with cancer in Kenya. And so it got me thinking. Thinking about broadening that idea and perhaps creating a peace journal as we ride. Kind of like those check-in books at hotels and touristy spots where folks write their name, home town, and comments but with this, having those comments be their wish for the world, their wish for those suffering, their wish for peace. I'm still brainstorming, but I can feel something is about to surface soon.
What would you have us observe or do as we bike across this continent?
The support Inventure has been receiving lately continues to make our journey feel more and more a reality. Things often seem to increasingly come to life as more people become involved and excited. I can safely say that the three of us become further inspired by this journey the more we share it with you. And to my family, you help make me more present with my best self. Thank you.
And lastly for this post, I want to express my gratitude for having met my two empowering and beautiful fellow riders. I want them to know how thankful I am: Lily and Joey, you two are helping me achieve my dream- to keep getting "out there".
"Over and out!"
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