Categories: all aviation bicycle gadgets misc motorcycle theater

Sun, 30 Jan 2005

I've been in kind of a weird emotional state lately, for a variety
of reasons that are unimportant to this topic. One of the things I've found that helps is going out for a ride.

This afternoon, I was in just such a state, and eventually decided that a ride was called for. I hopped on the Le Mans and took off for Redmond and points beyond.

It was already dark when I left, so I knew it wouldn't be a long ride. I rode out Union Hill Rd, which winds down into the Snoqualmie Valley. It was quite dark, and on the cold side -- I wasn't quite wearing enough clothing. I turned the wrong way on Carnation-Ames Lake Rd, and headed back to Redmond, when I'd meant to head for Carnation. I just rolled with it, since I didn't want to be out too late, and was getting a bit cold.

I was a tiny bit dissappointed, though, because I was looking forward to a ride up High Bridge Rd, and possibly finding a spot to stop, look out over the valley, and reflect on life for a bit.

Even though I didn't get my stopping-and-reflecting time, the ride was still quite helpful. I'm not sure what it is about riding that helps, but I think it has to do with focusing my mind. When I'm riding, I have to be focused on the task at hand, there's just no other way to be. I can't be mopey or distracted or discombobulated, or I'm dead.

I come back from such a ride feeling better, every time. It's not that the emotional weirdness has passed, but it's put back into perspective. There's other stuff out there. Life offers more than the opportunity for self-introspection and endless looping in a logic chain that doesn't ever complete. Somehow, riding forces things to be right again, in proportion.

I'm really glad I remember to do it every once in a while.

Posted at 22:19 permanent link category: /motorcycle

Categories: all aviation gadgets misc motorcycle theater

Written by Ian Johnston. Software is Blosxom. Questions? Please mail me at reaper at obairlann dot net.