The evolving definition of mindfulness is the practice of paying attention in the present moment. The act of bicycling from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean required more mindfulness than physical stamina. It required my best attention, for as long as I pedaled my bike on the road. The bicycle ride was 2842 miles, over 37 riding days, averaging about 12 miles per hour. That is a conservative average of 384 minutes per day of pedal time on the side of the road with cars and trucks passing at speeds 2 to 6 times faster than my bicycle. The physical exposure to the vehicles passing close by, not including nature’s elements of dust and rain, was emotion provoking. For those readers that do not know, I personally enjoy taking calculated risks; this contrasts in some ways to the conservative advice I give clients being sensitive to emotional and physical resources. However, my risk calculator “maxed out” on one occasion when I had to make a split second decision to ditch my bicycle off the road; fortunately, there was no mechanical damage hampering my continued journey. I developed a “love-hate” relationship with commercial trucks, as in many instances where there was little room on the road, when the trucks passed beside me I received a air burst requiring me to physically brace from getting blown off the road followed by bracing for back-draft that would lunge me forward. Getting lunged forward felt like a godsend when pedaling against headwinds. There is a lot that could be said of the focus required for me to ride those miles while my feet, posterior, and hands ached. There were nights that my legs cramped; I had never experienced cramping in my quadriceps before. I am proud that I met every challenge along the way; repairing flat tires, fending off dogs, never getting off the bike to walk, visiting American Legion Posts, and working with my cousin day by day to reach our interim destinations. In the end, “being considerate” is the mindful theme to my journey; it includes being thoughtful of the people driving the cars, of natural surroundings, and the people in my life.
Post-journey reflection makes me ever so grateful that my cousin invited me on this ride. I got to know him more as a father to his children Emily and AJ and a husband to his wife Julie. Mindfulness was a practice for both of us, to be in the present when we were on the road for the safety and enjoyment for both of us, and then to be present for our family, and then to be present for our work.
Mindfulness and Mental Wellness Awareness Blog 