"The Art of the Ride"

From Bicycling Magazine's "Great Moments in Cycling, Being a Cyclist" booklet:


    "It doesn't occur on every ride, but sometimes, especially on solo outings, something special happens on the bike. You're fully engaged with the task at hand, but by the time you tilt into the first climb of the ride, the fog of ordinary life begins to steam away. As the ground passes under your tires, you're seeing problems with fresh perspective, making sense of the day's events, and unwinding the that metronomic rhythm of turning cranks.
    It's been said that human beings actively use only 10% of their brainpower, and that the  rest isn't actually dormant but fully, unconsciously committed to keeping the body oriented in space relative to gravity. It's a synaptic orchestra of micro-adjustments that keep our bipedal selves from flopping over like primordial fish.
    On some rides, the familiar act of cycling rearranges the orchestra, and the bike is put on autopilot while you're offered a fleeting moment of clarity. It's so subtle you may not always be aware of those peaceful, meaningful seconds. Yet when it's over and time slips by, you eventually find yourself feeling slightly off-kilter again, your thinking muddled by ordinary, everyday life, and you feel a powerful urge to get back on the bike."


Sometimes, someone else says it so well that it bares being repeated and shared. Maybe, just maybe, this will inspire someone to try...only to try. And who knows, they might actually fall in love...