Life On Two Wheels

Along the river and toward the mountains a morning shadow shimmers across the road. The rays of the first light jet through the trees and across a figure gliding upon the road. His breath trails in short spurts, petrified as it hits the icy air. All is quiet except the slight sound of the athlete as he summons himself for yet another days work. Soon the rest of the world will bustle with life as well and the brief simplicity of cyclist and nature will disappear into the everyday struggle of life in full motion; the errands and intervals, the appointments and intersections, and the deadlines and finish lines OutPaceTheRace

Sunday, March 01, 2009

Of space and time

Girona, Spain
3/2/2009

There are many sights and scenes that pass by without thought in a day of travel. I think about this as the day passes. But I throw such moments away under the veil of the need to expedite progress towards my gate, platform, etc. In example take yesterday where I traveled for nearly 20 hours; there was not a moment I took yesterday to sit in meditation on the mere absurdity of the idea of going from Seattle to Girona in the space of 20 hours. Instead I took it all in step and treated it like a day in the life that was better forgotten than remembered- essentially a day not lived. Imagine just how much more fulfilling our lives would be if we were able to make each moment memorable. How is it possible that during such an event I am only able to take away that which I found loathsome during my travels. Perhaps it was the preconceived notion that travel is a mere inconvenience and a means to another latitude. Simply something unavoidable and aggravating. On one day there may be a time when travel is a time to look forward to instead of a time to grit your teeth and remember your sleeping pills.  

posted by Tom Peterson @ 10:07 PM