“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
I’m wrapping up a few things at the house in preparation for the long drive north to one of the most beautiful places on the planet. It’s a place whose name defies the beauty it provides in March: Death Valley. Right now is the perfect time to ride 200 miles in Death Valley, California. Cyclists on Saturday will roll out in the dark, and the majority will finish in the dark. A double will do that to you before the official start of spring. For this particular ride, things feel just right in pairs. This is my second Double Century. I’ll be bring two bikes with two sets of wheels. It’s been two decades since I’ve been in this giant natural stadium of incredible scenery and wonder. I scanned dozens of photos last night, seeking a glimpse of what awaits riders’ eyes as they make their way around the course. A few digitally enhanced images stole my heart. They reinforced why riding a bike is fascinating: The views. From the roadside. From the mountaintop. Along the ocean shore. Up from the valley below. And deep inside the soul. Yours. Mine. Ours. It’s personal, shared, and exhilarating. Where does the path lead? We don’t always know. So, it requires us to improvise at times. To not simply go where the path may lead, but as Emerson said, to “go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
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