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Reflections
As much as people roll their eyes when someone of an older generation begins the sentence with, "back in my day ..." instead we should actually pause ... and listen. No, the "good old days" weren't better in every way imaginable. I still won't part with my iPhone, wifi, and the ability to stream the UCI MTB downhill World Cup. And yet, we need voices of wisdom to speak into our lives and remind us.
I normally ride alone. Usually my outings are spontaneous and are times to disengage, reflect, and unwind. That's why out on the trail I have time to think about post-ride burritos, ponder new single origin coffees we want to introduce, and more. Yesterday was no exception. By lunch with my bike loaded along my sons and their skateboards we took off for Hood River. Actually, our destination was right across the Columbia River from Hood River in Bingen, Washington.
It's a lament felt by many who fall in the purview of the bike industry. We don't bike as much as we'd like ... or admit. As I've said before, although we're a coffee roasting company we actually identify and relate to the bike industry. The busier life and work gets one of the first things to go are extended road trips and mountain bike adventures. Sure, there are local road rides, gravel rides, and quick laps around the nearby bike park, but it is easy to get neck deep in the grind.
Anything worthwhile takes work and usually a lot of it. We may show up at a sporting event ... whether basketball, football, mountain biking, and so on ... and we're enthralled with the skill and talent of these top-tiered athletes. But what we don't see is the grind. For some that grind towards greatness began on the playground or open fields in elementary school. While they may have started their journeys with some innate natural talent and ability it was and is their work ethic that carried them.
I love food. I am food-motivated. Who isn't? Often times I find myself out on a ride and in my mind I'm already planning where to stop afterwards to get a bite to eat. When I'm lost in thought thinking of burritos is usually when I clip my pedal on a rock and take a tumble. But that hasn't stopped me from daydreaming about post-ride food. Besides, there's nothing more rewarding after a day out on the trail than to stop out some local eatery and replenish those "lost calories."
Like many of you, I live with one foot in one place and another elsewhere. What I mean is this, I live in and love the city and yet at the same time I long for adventure in the wilderness. This is not simply about escapism. Quite the opposite. I love the city. I live in the heart of the city. Most days of the week find me with on my commuter bike or road (gravel) bike in the city, walking in the city, taking public transit in the city, or even, yes, riding my scooter in the city (not a pretty sight).
