Concluding Thoughts

One week ago I completed my bike trip and was on my way home courtesy of Amtrak’s Coast Starlight route. I tried to reflect on the previous six weeks and attempted to draw meaning from the experience, but got distracted every time I looked out the window of my sleeper car. I finally settled on staring out the window, eating the stash of snacks I had purchased the night before from an Italian grocery store in San Diego, and listened to music. My metabolism was still demanding more calories even though my legs were still. All things considered, it felt pretty good to be on my way home. (The photos show the areas near Vandenberg Space Force Base, King City, and near the California-Oregon border, south of Klamath Falls.)

Yesterday someone asked me to name the highlight of the trip. I paused for dramatic purposes, then I did my best to summarize. 

“The people I met along the way,” I said. But, what I really wanted to say was, “I am still astonished that I could actually do something like this!” I feel so lucky and fortunate to be a part of something that was so special, and because I feel that way, maybe it’s the reason I met so many incredible people along the way. 

I didn’t have much doubt when I left on April 10 that I would ride into San Diego on May 21, but the reality of, “You don’t know what you don’t know” definitely came into focus a few days later. If I had any doubts about the ride beforehand, they concerned my physical ability to sit in my bike saddle and pedal day after day. Starting in February, I planned a series of tests: hills, consecutive daily long rides, heat exposure (in Florida), and hauling gear in my panniers for longer rides. Except for normal soreness and fatigue, none of my tests indicated I needed more conditioning. My doctor said I was good to go. It never dawned on me that the challenge would be mental and not physical.

South of Astoria when the terrain turned hilly, there were days when I began to question my conditioning … and wisdom. Before leaving Seattle someone said to me, “If it gets to be too much, there’s no shame in stopping.” I guess I needed permission just in case. Then one day, something happened. My mental nemesis was the top of each hill, so reaching the top—out of breath with a heart rate higher than it probably should have been—turned into an achievement over time. The “climbs” started to stack up and before long, the hills turned into a normal part of the trip. I soon discovered each climb had its own reward when I could simply coast down the other side. Since a reward awaited each hill climb, I just focused on getting to “greener pastures”, aka a break, a drink, a snack. Thus, a virtuous cycle was born! (I know, right?) The intertwining of extrinsic rewards with intrinsic rewards became a way of completing each ride and also helped me anticipate the next day.  

By now you probably realize that this real-life example also serves as a metaphor for transitioning into the next phase of my life. I expect there will still be hills in the future, but I also expect a lot more coasting, too. Not fat-and-sassy coasting, but the kind of coasting that finds me on a mid-day bike ride, working in the garden four days in a row, or sneaking in a nap now and then, if I want to. I can start preparing dinner early in the afternoon … or not. Plus, with all of the projects in need of attention, I can string them out a few hours at a time without feeling compelled to work on them for an entire weekend! 

I can also plan more bicycle adventures and let my mind drift to other places I’d like to see from my bike. If you are not familiar with the Adventure Cycling Association, take a look at the trips you can undertake (and ignore all the photos of younger people). Another way you can contribute to the “cause” is to consider becoming a Warm Showers host. If you have an empty bed at home, it’s a great way to meet people who are on their adventure and would be happy to share it with you. 

I hope I was able to cogently share my thoughts and photos with you in a way that removed some of the mystery around bicycling longer distances. I’d like to try another longer trip again in the future, but not this year. Kathy and I will join a group from Alaska in late September for 10 days and ride shorter bicycle legs from Porto, Portugal to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. The self-guided tour will give us plenty of time to fully immerse ourselves in the moment without any scheduling except for breakfast and dinner! Years ago, Kathy and I took a bicycle trip from Seattle to Victoria, Sidney, San Juan Island, Orcas Island, Lopez Island and back to Seattle. Another time we spent a weekend riding along the Danube River during the wine grape harvest in the Wachau Valley. We’re returning to our roots! 

Finally, I’d like to acknowledge some very important people who made my trip especially gratifying. The support from my family, Kathy, Kendall, Andrew and Lauren was instrumental in my trip success as was Kendall’s WordPress skills. She is responsible for making this entire blog happen. Dean, Evan, Jake, and Pete accompanied me during training and having kindred souls riding along made all the difference in the world. Doug, Iris and Jeanette, Jake and Jess, Randy, Julia and Daniel took time off to meet me or host me and your hospitality was special. There were all sorts of folks I spoke to along the way who contributed in a small, but meaningful way by wishing me luck and safe travels. Billie, Jake, Tom, and Karson …the time we spent together was very meaningful. You represent all that is good in the world. Keep the vibe going!