It was the end of a long work week. Only 5 days long but one of those weeks that seemed much longer. Too many deliveries, too many miles, the days running into each other. I drove home on Friday night wanting to unwind, shake off the week, end it on a positive note. Although dinner was waiting, I had no interest. I checked with my wife about her plans for the evening, she had none except for a book and the couch, evidently her week was also long and frustrating. I usually like to work out as soon as I get home, lift some weights perhaps do some yoga to unwind, but tonight felt different. I wanted to be outside, wanted to take advantage of a beautiful summer evening at the end of a difficult work week. My bike was calling me.
I hopped on and began my regular route, a 16 mile loop through the back roads and farmlands around my house. Within the first mile of my loop is a freeway overpass, a short little climb that gets the legs moving and the heart pumping. Whenever I’m on one of my rides I’m always accompanied by the voices in my head. The voice that talks to me about work, how I can do better, how I should have handled a particular situation. Sometimes that voice stays with me for a long time, tonight I pushed that voice aside quickly. Then there’s the voice that talks to me about my teenage son. This voice tells me about the things I should be telling him as he approaches his 16th birthday, things he needs to know, responsibilities that need to be met. Some of these are things I wish somebody had told me when I was his age, not that I always would have listened. Then there’s the random voice, talking to me about friends or other family members, my aging parents and their declining health. Usually these voices stay with me for the first couple of miles, and there’s always one constant voice…the voice on my phone app tracking my distance……
distance traveled 1 mile
time 5 minutes and 33 seconds
speed 12.4 miles per hour
split speed 12.4 miles per hour
I reach a straight paved stretch of road that has very little traffic on it so I know I won’t have to move off to the shoulder. It’s a 4 mile stretch on a slight decline, so slight you probably wouldn’t notice it in a car, but on a bike, it’s noticeable. I’m in a rhythm now, the up and down of the pedals, the sound of the chain as it goes around, the hum of the tires on the pavement. Only one voice in my head now, all the others have been pushed aside, no longer bothering me, no longer a distraction…..
distance traveled 5 miles
time 25 minutes and 16 seconds
speed 13.6 miles per hour
split speed 15.2 miles per hour
That was a fast mile, I wonder if I have a tailwind but the flag on a passing house stands limp. I’ll probably pay for the increased tempo on the way back, but for now it feels good, the miles passing quickly as I pass fields of corn ready for harvest and pastures of cows grazing at the end of the day.
I turn onto the bike path that connects our small town with the nearest one to the south. On a weekend ride, when I don’t have anything else to hurry home to, I might ride this path to the next town extending my ride to 20 or even 25 miles, regretting the last few miles as my legs feel like jelly and my ass gets sore from the bike seat. As the summer day is quickly becoming a summer night, I only stay on it for a mile and then turn for home….
distance traveled 8 miles
time 41 minutes and 11 seconds
speed 13 miles per hour
split speed 13.8 miles per hour
The paved road I’m on quickly turns to a dirt road and an ever so slight incline and I know the long slog home has begun. The dirt road is bumpy and uneven, my tempo decreases and I feel like I’m going so slow as I weave back and forth across the road trying to find a flat stretch. I no longer look at my surroundings, only focusing on the 20 feet immediately in front of me. The voice tells me of my progress……
distance traveled 12 miles
time 53 minutes and 44 seconds
speed 13.5 miles per hour
split speed 12.4 miles per hour
Another slow mile passes but I’ve made one last turn for home. It’s a 4 mile stretch and I know the worst is over, the dirt road smooths out and I know it will soon turn back to pavement. I pass a house that has one of those little free library’s at the end of their driveway. I’ve always wanted to stop and peruse the books to see if there’s anything that would catch my interest. I should probably bring a small backpack because I would probably find more than one book and then how would I navigate the last few miles home holding books as I steer.
distance traveled 15 miles
time 1 hour and 9 minutes
speed 13.4 miles per hour
split speed 12.8 miles per hour
One mile to go and I see the freeway overpass. Just a short climb and then an easy downhill all the way to my driveway. I check behind me to see if anything’s coming, there’s not, then I shift gears, rise out my seat and begin climbing. As I crest the overpass, I see a vehicle approaching from the opposite direction. As it draws near, I suddenly see a small brown object catch my attention in my peripheral vision. It’s a fawn about to jump the guardrail and cross the road. All three of us, the fawn, the vehicle and me are converging at the same place and time. At the last second the fawn becomes spooked and heads back down the hill, back to the pond by the freeway. The vehicle passes, probably never even seeing the fawn. I coast down the hill pondering what just happened. If that fawn had jumped that guardrail it probably would have crashed into me or just avoided me, either way I probably would have lost control and fell towards the oncoming vehicle. The driver probably would have been startled and not having room to maneuver on a freeway overpass….well….
I spread my arms out wide, lean back as I far as I feel comfortable and feel the warm summer air rush over my face and body as I coast down the hill to my driveway…
distance traveled 16 miles
time 1 hour and….
I turn off my phone app and just enjoy the silence
Thought for the day….
Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about…..
Be kind….always
John's Blog 