“Dreams are necessary to life.”
- Anais Nin
I woke up this morning, stepped outside to pick up the NYT and felt a brisk wind. The kind that can break your will to go hard solo on a bike if you let it. Headwind for 60 miles up the coast of San Diego, across Camp Pendleton and into the southern tip of Orange County. Awesome wind. Relentless. Whipping flags. Pushing people. Blowing sand in the face of every skinny wimp (all two) on the beach.
Want to know the best thing about that testy, endless effing wind?
At the turnaround point of my ride in San Clemente, it suddenly became my best friend. A massive tailwind, shoving a refueled and replenished me like crazed tifosi up a mountain. For most of the next 55 miles. Diesel big-ring kind of wind. A dream come true. Even with pretty blasted legs. I dreamed that headwind would not relent, so I could ride it as a tailwind. Dreams are necessary to life. They fuel the inner fire. Help move you forward.
Which brings me back to headwinds. They build character. They’re like long stout climbs in the mountains experienced for the first time. You’re not quite sure when the gradient is going to pitch beyond 10%, so when it does, you must tell yourself it’s no worse than 7%. Really. What’s 3% more? Pedal on. Breath deep. Pedal strong. Find your rhythm. Push away fear, doubt and uncertainty. Go skyward so you can taste the ultimate reward: a slicing, carving, sweet descent with views.
The analogy is fresh in my mind because on Saturday I went almost as hard as I could up Palomar Mountain. 11 miles. 4,200 of elevation gain. Live your dreams. Even the little ones. They are necessary to life and the reason why a nasty headwind that became a dream of a tailwind is the Sunday night Crave.
Doing 27 mph on the flats at mile 70 or so.
Stopping to take in the view on Camp Pendleton. Pre-tailwind.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
You perfectly captured what I was thinking on my ride today, too. Different states, different scenery. And you rode much longer than me.
But going out of town on my bike ride today on this sunny Southwest Sunday, it was gradual uphill fighting fierce headwinds the whole way. For miles and miles. I kept telling myself to just keep going. Push harder. So I did.
I went further than I thought I could before turning around. Kinda surprised me.
And oh, man, when I turned around, I could not believe how much easier my ride was with those great tailwinds. I was on the other side of the highway but it was like I was riding a different day, different place.
And all the way back into town, I was thinking exactly what you said. That when you fight the good fight, charge right into those headwinds, keep going and don’t quit, getting to the other side can sure be sweet.
Tailwinds like today remind me how amazing riding a bicycle outdoors truly can be. And they also remind me how joy awaits after the struggle. How vital it is to hold onto hope and keep on pedaling. No matter what.
Peace, joy and grace to you my friend! RideOn!
I really enjoyed this article as it relates to so many things in life and you do have a way with words my friend. RideON RideSafe!
Janet Lyn, incredible how we experience the same things in different places at the same time. I think cycling is a true connector.
GT, thanks for coming by and saying such nice things! JB