Archive for the Pedaling Pastor Category

Jens Voigt, a well-known and well liked, professional bike rider coined this phrase and made it popular. In his professional career, he was known for his courage and tenacity. When his legs cried out for relief, he took mastery over them demanding they do his bidding. He even had these words on his bike so he could remind himself who was boss and what role his mind must play.

A couple of years ago I went for a bike ride where I had plans to meet some people for lunch at a trailside restaurant 29 miles down the trail later in the day. I thought I allowed enough time to cover the distance without keeping them waiting but I had not done many long rides that spring so I was a bit concerned about my average speed and arriving at our meeting spot on time.

I started out at a good enough pace, especially since I was on a mountain bike. I was pleased to feel good at that speed. Before too long, though, at around 14 miles, I noticed that my average speed was beginning to drop. I wanted to go faster but my legs were beginning to enter the conversation with input of their own. I really focused on going faster and that is when I learned this important life lesson. The more I thought about my legs the more tired I felt. Fortunately, God switched my thoughts from the fatigue in my legs to thinking about my cadence and to watching the average speed display on my bike computer. I stopped thinking about my legs and began thinking about the mph. A few minutes later when I looked at the current speed, I saw that I was going 15 mph which was the fastest I had gone all day. I had an epiphany right there on my bike. I realized that the more I focused on the bad news, i.e. my legs being tired, the more I reaped tired legs. When, however, I put my mind on my goal, my body just achieved the goal despite the obstacles. In fact, I didn’t even feel my legs. I just achieved a new level of success simply by shifting my thinking.

The moral of the story is like the story of old Job from the Bible, whatever we focus on is what we attract. If I meditate on tired legs, I am going to reap weariness but if I turn my mind to a goal or a promise, then I am going to be drawn towards that goal. And, yes, I arrived at my destination in plenty of time.

So, if you look in the background you will see a canoe rental sign and no, we’re not all about to pedal (or paddle) downriver. This is the Little Miami trail in the Cincinnati, Ohio area. These folks kindly agreed to pose for me. I was struck by the humor as I thought of them as a “Biker gang.” Not the usual group you would associate with that term.

Man, what a beautiful day to be out for a ride along the river. This is roughly around Morrow, Ohio. I used to ride this trail every morning for a couple of hours. It’s dead flat, nicely maintained, and paved. I’ve spent a lot of miles on this trail. In fact, my only 100-mile ride was on this trail. That was a great day too! If you are ever in the Cinci area, definitely go ride this trail. Plan on a long ride. It is also a great ride for packing a lunch and eating out by the river. Alternatively, in Loveland especially, but a few other places as well, there are restaurants right on the trail. Check out the Montgomery Cycle shop in Loveland. But if you do ride this trail, watch out for biker gangs. Lol.

Is that Honeysuckle I smell? What a nice aroma. This one factor alone made today’s ride fabulous. Isn’t it interesting how affected we can be by something as simple as a sweet-smelling flower? It doesn’t hurt that it is pretty to look at as well. And so, the old saying comes to mind, “Stop and smell the roses,” or in this case honeysuckle.

Biking is my metaphor for life and I find I run my life exactly as I do my bike rides. On this very ride, I saw some pretty flowers and the thought went through my mind to stop and take a picture of them. Did I? No, why not? I reasoned it would interfere with my time. What an idiot! I was supposed to be out for a leisurely ride in the first place. Why was I so worried about my time?

And this is exactly what I do in life. I get so absorbed with the things I could do, should do and must do that I forget the one thing which is most important in life, living. Thank God (literally) for bike riding. It is helping me learn that I must appreciate the flower today because it will not be there tomorrow. Enjoy what life has to hold for me today because I may not pass this way again.

Spider webs can be so beautiful, but they, and their makers, are my bike riding nemeses. How is it that you’re riding down a bike trail or hiking along a trail and when you encounter a spider’s web it is always at face level? It seems my legs are never taking them out, just my face. What? And I like this, I was riding on a wonderful trail in Cincinnati, enjoying the scenery just feeling fine. There were a couple of bike riders on the trail in front of me. Now this trail is ten feet wide and the trees are an additional five or so feet back from the pavement. How is it, then, that a spider can even shoot a web across that expanse? Even worse, how is it that, though there were riders in front of me, a web should smack me across the face. I mean, is there an arachnid labor union where spiders meet and conspire on the exact height to put a web? Are they poised to shoot a web across the way to make sure they restore the silken trap after the previous riders go through? And get this, the other day I was riding on the road, for goodness sake, and yep, I caught a spider’s web in the face. Crazy! Some days are just like that, aren’t they? Something trying to entangle and distract you from the task at hand.

Imagine my dismay to look up while riding my bike to see buzzards circling overhead. PEDAL FASTER!! It reminded me of the bumper sticker, “Paddle faster, I hear banjo music.”

Isn’t that just like life – you’re going along, thinking you’re doing fine just to look up and find the buzzards circling you. Bike riding is often my metaphor for life. It is time I get to close out the world and be alone with my thoughts and my heavenly Father.

I think what I learned this day is that there is a time to slow down and enjoy the scenery of life and there are times when I need to pedal fast. In my life I am more likely to have too many things on my plate and pedaling like a mad fool. I think that in life, as in my bike riding, the days when I slow down and enjoy nature and everything God has given me helps me to be stronger, more effective and faster on those “work” days. Not having quiet meditative time seems to make me more vulnerable to the vultures rather than less. I hope I learn this lesson way down in my spirit, and soon.