It's Tuesday at 2:00pm! (PST Time: I live and work from Southern California)
All of our past posts have been placed HERE if you want to go back and read one.
I received some great comments from people on my post last week about "why I walk". Many comments about the value of "discipline", about the opportunities to do other things while walking (phone calls, listening to podcasts, music) and how walking is a "baseline" for activity. It shouldn't be the only thing you do for exercise, but it's a good thing to do as a foundation. Thank you for engaging in the conversation with me!
I thought I would extend this theme one more week. No, we're not talking about walking again, I thought I'd answer the question:
WHY I RIDE.
You might be wondering if I'm talking about my bicycle (which I do ride) or a horse (which I haven't ridden in a long time). I'm talking about my trusty motorcycle.
Every since I was 8 years old, I had a fascination with motorcycles. My dad had a little Honda Trail 90 that I was able to ride on the back or front of, and I loved every minute of it.
When I was 13 years old, I somehow talked my parents into letting me buy a Honda 125, and my life would never be the same. I rode that bike through Junior High and High School, and then in college graduated to a little bit bigger bike.
I like to ride.
I know that some people are against motorcycles because they're not safe, or because of the culture they can sometimes represent.
Let me tell you why I ride:
WHEN I RIDE...
- I see the world differently. I'm not looking out of a window, but I'm looking directly at the road in front of me, the houses and people along the side of the road. I feel "at one" with the road and it's a great perspective.
- I get "helmet time". This is what Gina calls my "head time". No conversations, no music, no distractions. I can just hear the engine, feel the wind blow through my helmet, and I'm in my own world. Gina would say that I can clear my head out quicker on a motorcycle ride than anything else! It's a unique experience.
- I usually get to ride with friends, so there's a comradarie that goes along with the ride. Riding with one other person or a group is always a thrill.
- I get a sense of adventure. There are risks in riding, so I'm extra alert, the adrenaline is flowing, and I'm excited about what is coming around the next corner or over the next hill. I've been exhausted after long rides but I'm really happy.
- I experience a different kind of worship. Seeing the beauty around me in nature, feeling the sun and the wind, smelling everything, as I said earlier, I see the world differently, but it's also an "awe" experience, thankful to God for all that He's created and for the chance to enjoy it in this way.
I could go on and on, but this is why I ride.
What do you do that restores your soul?
What do you do regularly that energizes you?
Whatever it is, find a way to do more of it!
Let me answer some questions:
*Most Enjoyable Ride: My first time riding in South Africa on an ER Vision trip with 9 other men. Great way to see and experience this country, see the beauty and the poverty and meet people along the way that are making a difference.
*Most Adventurous Ride: I have 2... one was an off-road 3-day adventure in Costa Rica that was very challenging because of rain and mud, but was a thrill. The second was with Riley (my son) and Pierre and the 4 days we spent on bikes in South Africa in the non-stop rain. That was fun.
*Most Beautiful Ride: Anything in Ecuador, but the ride through the valley of the volcanoes this past year was unmatched in glory.
*Most Memorable Ride: Riding through Utah, at night, in the snow, in search of a hotel. That was memorable.
*What would be your dream ride? I'd like to ride through Cuba and I'd like to do the Ruta del Sol in Ecuador.
2019 Ecuador Ride - Cotopaxi Volcano in the background
For you "BIKE NERDS", CLICK HERE for some pictures of the bikes I've owned as well as my current ride.
"Don't let the fear of what could happen make nothing happen." Unknown
"I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn't work that way, so I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness." Emo Philips
"We ride not to escape life, but for life to not escape us." #whyweride
"Sometimes, you find yourself in the middle of nowhere; and sometimes, in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself." Unknown