Exploring the countryside on a pedal bike
I have put a lot of miles on my bike this year. I ride every Saturday and Sunday. And not just to the corner store and back. I ride for hours upon hours. I’ve been doing this for months now, yet I still find it strange to be called a “cyclist.” Honestly, I really haven’t been at it very long. Until about nine months ago I had only ever owned a cheap hybrid (which suffered a slow demise due to being an “outside” bike) and a pretty nice mountain bike (which has apparently been relegated to being a “garage” bike). And even now I still don’t own a proper road bike–what I own is a nice cyclocross bike that is currently wearing slicks. As far as geometry and looks go, it pretty much appears to be a road bike, though. What distinguishes it is mostly the fact that it is a bit burlier than a nice road bike would be–to make room for the fatter cyclocross tires that will supposedly make it kick ass in the mud. (It will also take a touring rack, which most road bikes won’t.) I don’t know that buying a cyclocross bike was the very best choice, but it was the choice I made. And it has turned out to be a great bike.
Currently, all of the rides I do are in preparation for riding the STP in one day. The route from Seattle to Portland is approximately 202 miles. That is a lot for one day of cycling, no matter how in shape you are! It is only four weeks away now, so my long rides are definitely getting long. Last Saturday I rode 97.4 miles in the Flying Wheels Summer Century. My elapsed time (from start to finish line) was 6:25. On Sunday, I rode out to the Alki Point Lighthouse and back. That was just a touch over 33 miles. It took me more than three hours, but I was not in a hurry at all and actually stopped for lunch.
These long rides show me parts of the state–and parts of myself–that I have never really seen. I mean, sure; I have driven there … but the experience you have while driving through a place is very different from the experience you have while pedaling to and through it. I remember when I rode through Monroe for the first time. I almost didn’t recognize where we were–it was like I had never been there before. I thought to myself how far it is to just to drive to Monroe. And here I was having gotten there on a bike. It was an enlightening and inspirational moment. I had truly managed to amaze myself.
If you had told me six months ago that I would be doing this, I would have thought you were nuts. Now, I just think I am nuts. But craziness aside, doing these rides has been an incredible experience.
“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” ~Ernest Hemingway
If you are at all inspired and want to support a great cause, please consider donating on behalf of my efforts. I am using my STP ride to raise money and awareness for the Wounded Warrior Project. You can donate online at http://bit.ly/STPforWWP-Kaia, donate by check by printing out this form, or even join the team and raise your own funds.
My wheels will be flying on June 12th
On February 1st, I registered for the Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic. It was suggested to, “Use Flying Wheels as your final rehearsal. Test out the energy foods, equipment and clothing you will use on the STP.” So on March 25th, I registered for the Flying Wheels Summer Century. This ride takes place tomorrow, and the century (or 100-mile) route that I will be riding is as follows:
I suspect there will be hundreds (if not thousands) of cyclists on these roads tomorrow. Now you know. See some of you out there!
Inspired by bees in a dream
After an emotionally-rough week, I was having an especially tough day yesterday. Last night I posted as my Facebook status that I was “wondering if you have a favorite inspirational quote to share, or an inspiring article or book to recommend?” My favorite response was from my sister—a quote about a dream that bees were making sweet honey from old failures. It turned out to be an excerpt from a poem by Antonio Machado. This was written in 1903.
I dreamt—marvelous error!—
that a spring was breaking
out in my heart.
I said: Along which secret aqueduct,
Oh water, are you coming to me,
water of a new life
that I have never drunk?
Last night as I was sleeping,
I dreamt—marvelous error!—
that I had a beehive
here inside my heart.
And the golden bees
were making white combs
and sweet honey
from my old failures.
Last night as I was sleeping,
I dreamt—marvelous error!—
that a fiery sun was giving
light inside my heart.
It was fiery because I felt
warmth as from a hearth,
and sun because it gave light
and brought tears to my eyes.
Last night as I slept,
I dreamt—marvelous error!—
that it was God I had
here inside my heart.
[NOTE: I like to replace the word "God" with love. Not because I don't necessarily believe in God; but because it is more universal. I believe at the core that love is what makes the world go 'round. I always have. (And if you believe God is love ... well, then it will still work for you.)]
In any case, the quote from my sister (in bold text above) was just what I needed to hear—that failures are good for something. And not only that, but they are good for something sweet. Onward, busy bees!
[Coincidentally, I was stung by a bee while out riding my bike on Tuesday afternoon. An omen? Perhaps.]
When the free wifi on your airplane doesn’t work
I took a bunch of notes the other night about following one’s bliss and moving towards one’s dream. For the life of me, I can’t remember what source(s) the notes are from, but I just re-read them this morning. Amongst them was the directive, “watch video: Everything’s Amazing, Nobody’s Happy.” Turns out it’s a 4-minute clip of comedian Louis C.K. from a Conan O’Brien show that aired on October 1, 2008. NBC has removed the official clip, but you can still find it online.
Louis provides some perspective on how much we take technology for granted these days. And he perhaps offers us the gift of lightening up and being less stressed—something to remember the next time we’re feeling peeved about something we should maybe feel less entitled to and more appreciative of.
Everything’s Amazing. Nobody’s happy (A brief blurb about the segment written by Louis C.K. himself.)
When your line of work makes you nauseous
I found this in my LinkedIn email this morning:
The Inspiring Story of Brian Johnson « The Potential Within
… Brian knew that someday he would be great. It appeared to all the world that, as an accountant, he had life by the tail. It was during his first week of work, however, that Brian became nauseous and knew in his heart that accounting was not who he was. … Having no idea what he wanted to do with his life, but knowing that accounting wasn’t it, he enrolled in one of the U.S.’s leading law schools and thought that he would become a great lawyer with a six figure income. Brian’s never been short on drive. He had been studying only a semester when he realized that law was definitely not who he is either and subsequently dropped out of school … “if I just trust myself and follow my heart and work diligently, great things happen that I never could have predicted would happen.” Today Brian lives his passion without hesitation and follows his bliss …
It really spoke to me in a big way. Because I understand this drive … and this nausea—all too much.
Naming volcanoes
As a cat lover, this really had me laughing out loud at work. (The Oatmeal is pure genius, by the way.)
Link to the original comic on The Oatmeal: How a volcano gets its name.
The end of the Olympics is not “the end”
Tomorrow is my last day working as an Olympic Games volunteer. This is bittersweet. While part of me looks very forward to going home, not standing in the rain for hours on end, spending time with my kitty cat, having the energy to go for a run, and seeing my wonderful boyfriend … part of me is also very sad this experience is coming to an end. I have met and worked with some truly wonderful people, been present at some historic Olympic moments, witnessed some incredible kindness and amazing feats of fanaticism, and been part of something much, much larger than myself. It has provided me with time for reflection in an atmosphere I couldn’t have created on my own, and I will leave a little different than I arrived.
Even though tomorrow is my last day working at the Olympic Games, it won’t be my last day wearing the affectionately-called Smurf outfit for work. I am one of the lucky few who will return to serve at the Paralympics. And while the Olympic Games were an amazing experience, I expect the Paralympics to be even more so.
our possibilities become limitless. –Jamie Paolinetti
Motto
