I bought the bike to get more exercise. In my mind, I imagined losing a few extra pounds, and feeling healthier.

But, my experiences with the bike proved to be far more fascinating and multidimensional than I could ever imagine. I went to the bike shop and picked out a sleek looking, black, 10-speed racer; added a few additional accessories; loaded it in my car; and headed home.

Once there, I jumped on the bike and began pedaling down the road beside my house. As I rode through my neighborhood, on a road I had traveled hundreds of times before in my car, a new world suddenly appeared. On my bike, I could smell things. On my bike, I could hear things. On my bike, I traveled slowly enough to really see things.

In the past, I sped down these roads in my car; which was an insulating bubble. Windows tightly rolled up. Radio blasting. Going as fast as the speed limit allowed. But now, I could smell freshly mown grass. I could hear animal sounds. I could feel the wind on my face.

I could see subtle details of old weathered barns, variations in the color of tree leaves, and many small things that had been invisible before. I had stepped out of the bubble of my car and began to rediscover my neighborhood.

Traveling down roads at slower speeds, I found I could now shout greetings to my neighbors, and could easily pull my bike over to the side of the road and spend a few minutes chatting with them. If I saw something really interesting, I could stop and explore.

My physical fitness improved, and I began to ride and explore further. My senses became heightened and sharpened, and I began to see, hear, and feel, more details and textures.

I rode my bike frequently that summer. There were dogs that liked to chase me, cars that passed too closely, and swarms of bugs that suddenly appeared near dusk; but overall the experience was wonderful.

I ride my bike less frequently these days, but many times when I’m traveling down a back road in my car, I’ll slow down, turn off the radio, roll down the windows, and really enjoy my journey.

That summer, I learned there was a tremendous amount of beauty and diversity I routinely passed by, unnoticed and not experienced. Before, I had been so intent on reaching my destination in “the bubble;” of my comfortable vehicle, that I missed it. The bike also taught me a larger lesson: Today I strive to make sure I don’t live my life in a bubble.

Frequently, I make myself slow down, roll down my mental windows, turn down my mental radio, and experience the beautiful colors and details of my life journeys more intimately. Life is a series of journeys. We are all constant travelers, and time spent at destinations is all too brief.

Enjoy your journeys.

By Scott Fite

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