Head space…

There were a few different (riding) options leading up to this weekend for me.

I desperately wanted to take Steve up on the offer of a ride out to Sunderland Point on the North West Coast. One of Steve’s favourite places, he has a caravan out that way and the original plan would see me take an early train to Lancaster on Sunday morning, take advantage of the favourable tides, then return home on an afternoon train.

In the end, I just couldn’t make it work! Family commitments can often mean that I don’t always get to do the things I want to do, but there will be other opportunities to ride further a field. Patience is the best policy in these situations and so, after contacting Steve yesterday I decided to leave Sunday open…

No early alarm call this morning, I woke naturally and readied myself without any rush. I did have a rough plan to do something a little different with my morning as I set off along the canal, but I quickly realised I wasn’t feeling all that fantastic (back, knees, head!) so opted for the safety of familiarity on the usual lanes and some mood altering drugs (coffee & bacon with an old friend!) I really enjoy the process of letting my riding find a natural flow these days. Adapting my pace to the elements, listening to the legs and making route decisions as I go make so much sense and actually provide more control over what I’m doing than any amount of forward planning or goal setting could ever do.

I’ve had a lot going on in my life recently and being out on the bike really helps. A solo ride is such a great way to sort through the muddle of the mind and find some focus, especially when I’m not really ‘feeling it’ in the first place. Motivation to do the things we love can be difficult to find in the distractions of life.