Lately the bicycle has become an escape or a mechanism to move from place to place. Not at breakneck speed in Lycra on downturned handlebars. Rather, upright, more sedate and with the object of getting there and enjoying the trip along the way.
Some call it “bicycle tourism.” Others call it boring because it ain’t fast and competitive and…
You get the idea.
In a conversation with a friend this morning during and after a hike, we both agreed that there comes a time in one’s life when you look at the journey and not the destination. You feel a need to slow down and be more deliberate.
One person, Grant Petersen of Rivendell Bikes has taken this to heart. He calls it “The Art of Taking it Slow.”
My friend and I talked about the simplicity of bikes as we knew them as children. She related how when she is on her Schwinn 5-speed (the one her dad found and fixed up for her) she’s a kid again and riding the streets of her Mesa neighborhood. I had a similar experience with the single-speed my friend, Nik, built for me last year.
Something really freeing about being on the bike and not feeling you are being graded, judged or put in your place. It’s just you and the bike. Or, if you are riding with a partner or group, a way to enjoy good company.
In recent times (the last year and a half, for sure), I’ve surely slowed and taken on bikes of a different type to continue my two-wheeled experience.
Here’s hope you all find a similar or satisfying experience with your bicycle.
Be safe and stay upright.
Relentless
