I love to bike.

This may be easy to say, but it is difficult to explain. It is a passion of mine that I’ve had since I was very young. I still remember taking off my training wheels for the first time, a mixed feeling of thrill and horror coursing through my body as I attained perfect balance.  Growing up, my brother and I would bike everywhere. We’d go to the grocery store, the lake, it didn’t matter. We did it not because we had to be somewhere, but because we had no destination. No purpose. We rode our bikes for the enjoyment of the ride.

Yes, I think that’s why biking is one of my favorite recreational things to do.  It gives me a sense of serenity. When I turn the peddles over and listen to the timed rhyme of the clicking chain, I feel happy. I love the rush of wind through my hair. I love to explore the world beyond the reaches of any motorized vehicle. I love the simple mechanics working underneath the frame of my body. I like to imagine myself as a well-oiled (in this case hydrated) machine competing with everyone else on the road. But most importantly, I love biking for the enjoyment of the ride.

So to all those who also love the enjoyment of the ride, I raise my helmet to you! Perhaps your ride is not as simple as a bicycle, but more complex like life itself. You love life not because you make a lot of money–or don’t make a lot of money–but because you enjoy the ride. You enjoy the experience and count your blessings every day.  You appreciate the simplicity and rush of it all. And what do I say to that?

Ride on.