I was out on a night ride the other evening with a group of friends. One friend and I got to talking about what it means to ride a bike. “I’m always praying when I’m riding,” he told me. “You have to be present – riding forces you to be present in the moment.”
I thought, what a beautiful way to put it.
Whether you are looking ahead to see what’s coming up or watching the frogs hop off the side of the road or checking behind you to see if you can move over or waving at a little kid on the sidewalk next to you – all riding involves being present and experiencing the moment as it happens.
You never know what you’re going to encounter on your ride. You may get a flat. You may smell a skunk. You may see swirls of birds overhead at dusk. You may feel your breath taken away by the view at the top of a hill.
The weather has started to turn cooler, as Nashville digs deeper into Autumn. It doesn’t mean you should put your bike away. Just be present for the next change of season.