Thursday, May 15, 2014

Guess whos back, back again, shannons back tell a friend....

Hello Y'all,
Sorry i have been MIA i have had a few issues with time and internet working out the last few days.  Had a couple of laundry duties, some poor internet and a long day that did not provide me enough time to write coherently and get the sleep needed.  Well we finished at a decent time i was able to get showered up after a long hot day and am ready to do a little writing tonight.  I will try not to be to long winded but i will have to just let the post write itself.
Well first off it has been a fairly decent three days there have been some of the normal ups and downs that come with riding for 18 days straight.  Sore muscles, rough mornings, bad attitudes (mainly shortness at times) but these all fade as the day goes along and we get into sync with the days ride.  Each pedal stroke takes you not only further down the road but lets worries float away and focus on what matters in the moment.  That is usually the road, where your team mates are at and how close the next car is.  Then you look up to see a hawk flying, or a great view of the ocean or something else.  Each time you go through this routine the day moves on the minutes fade to hours and the hours to the end of the day.  This is broken up by lunch breaks or stopping to smell the roses, and yes i have stopped to just take a picture of a flower or smell one even if it is on a hill.  Why because this is the time to take it all in and gain the perspective on life.  I know that certain days i really cant stop thinking about what i want in life and then on others my head is just simply blank.
The other day i was thinking about how much different this ride is from the first one.  In the first ride we had three guys who had been soley focused on getting ready for the ride for over a year and were at their peak for the ride.  This time there are four (sometimes more) people who are at varying levels of fitness and health.  The first ride we had a schedule and we stuck to it.  This trip we ride only by time and we get as far as we get and then we start the next day.  First ride, we rode for Parkinson's and for i think to prove something to ourselves and others.  I don't think this is wrong because the focus was always really PD but i know that I wanted to know that i could do it and wanted to ride each mile for my dad and make a statement.  This ride we really are riding to support two great men and make sure people know how strong they can be in the face of a challenge.  The first ride we rested took time to recover.  This ride we just ride each and every day no breaks no time off just ride, ride, ride.  I think each ride has had a specific point even if they are being gone about in two different ways.  PD does not have a cure but that does not mean you have sit back and just let it have its way.  You can stand up and say i will not let you change me i will accept what you bring my way and i will use it for someting good.
What a lesson for each of us to think about what a challenge to try to live this way.  Are you up for it, can you take the bads and turn them into positives can you leave them behind?

Fun things that have happened in the last three days.  We rode through the Giant Sequoias, much better via bike then a car.  We saw a whale surfacing near the shore of Arena Point.  Met some great people from Vancouver Canada, and Montreal.  Ate some fresh backed pastries had some great laughs with everyone and have seen some more of Gods Beautiful handiwork.  Tomorrow it is over the bridge and onto San Francisco.



Catching some air
our Friends from Canada Rob and Jane Weiss
Keep the wheels turning guys you are impressive.  

1 comment:

  1. Gratefullness as a lifestyle. A good way for all of us to live!

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