My Caliber of Rider

Bicycling is rounding out perfect circles...one pedal stroke after another. It is in the journey where we find adventure. The destination is an added benefit. If all we cared about was the destination, we would fly, drive or use another faster mode of transport. We live in an age of rush, rush, rush...and age of fast cars and hurry. We want to get to places as quickly as possible. Not so with bicycle travelers. We take our time. We enjoy our time.

A tourist to me is someone who stops and smells the roses before their tour bus beckons. They always seem to be on a timeline, governed by the clock. Bicycle travelers go with the flow. We are masters of adventure and masters of easy-flow experiences.

As I set about exploring this vast country, I often think about Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery. They weren't tourists; they were adventurers and explorers. A tour usually happens in places where many have tread before. Many a bicycle traveler venture into unknown territory, at least unknown to them. They encounter rough terrain, remote deserts and mountains, vast plains, loneliness, deep valleys, national parks and magnificent views, dangerous traffic and unknown corners...and through it all, we love it. This is why we do it. This is why we explore. Upon return, we tell stories, write blogs and books, share pictures and dream and plan for the next bicycle odyssey. This is why we explore, why we go on quests, why we venture out our front door, why we voyage across continents, why we trek across deserts and mountains, why we journey through deep ravines, why we take small jaunts and meet new people and visit new destinations, and this is why we take on our adventures with gusto. Bring it on. There was a reason Homer wrote The Odyssey rather than The Tour.

When I think of how I ride, I think of a slow turtle that occasionally will find himself tumbling downhills. A friend recently told me, "I know she's probably not your caliber of rider." I went away thinking what exactly he meant. In a sense, I knew what he meant. In the same group I've been called "Mr. Exercise." These people know that I embark on long journeys by bicycle. The last three years I have ridden nearly 13,000 miles. To most that seems like a lot. Most people who live in Salem or the Pacific Northwest are "fair-weather riders." I used to commute by bike and ride in the rain and freezing temps. I was in training, yes, but also I enjoyed it to an extent. I saved on gas and found built-in exercise. It is indeed good for the soul.

I am not a crazy person. I enjoy a bike ride as mush as the next person, especially if the weather holds out long enough to offer more enjoyment. Summer is my favorite season because of this. I love the sun. I love riding in the sun, seeing beautiful oceans and mountains and flowers. God's creation is all around us. But here in the Pacific Northwest, it is vital to view the winter months as just as beautiful. And they can be. I do understand that sometimes it does not seem enjoyable, and it may not be but we can find the beauty in these things too.

But my caliber of rider? What is my caliber of rider? When describing my exploits, someone usually mentions that they'd go along, but they wouldn't be able to keep up with me. That is rubbish to me. I wish this misconception would diminish. I am a slow rider. I am not a cyclist. I am but a person on a bike. I am like you. If you want to go on a ride with me, I will stick with you. I won't get impatient. And chances are you may ride faster than me! I know what you're thinking: fat chance of that. But really, my caliber of rider is you. You, the reader are my caliber of rider. I implore you to think of me as just a slow person on a bicycle. I enjoy myself. There are times when I wish I was faster, yes, but I thank God that I can go slow. That is the point after all. It is not a race. Many a cyclist zooms past me. My perfect circles keep rolling along ever so slowly. But I do get there sooner or later. After all, the experience is within the journey.

Journey with me if you will. Head out on the road. Let's take the roads and trails by storm and go slowly. The slow bicycle movement is protruding ever so like a turtle...and cheetah. We go fast and slow...a mixture. We love it. We hope you do too. So, my caliber of rider is anyone who will go on a ride with me and enjoys it as much as I do. Let's explore together, shall we? The path beckons...