Monday, April 19, 2010

Bicycling Daydreams


In Heaven There Are No Roads. That's what the bumper sticker says on the grey van as I climb up the Salmon side of Tabor...my second time up. "Well, that's not possible, because then there could be no bicycles. Must be hikers," I think. But, then I think that maybe there could be a bike path system instead of roads, like they had in Oulu. Which gets me thinking more about what MY perfect world would be. I'm amazed that this line of thought is very soothing. As I round the top for the second time, I've decided that people get around on bicycle but there are fewer of us. About 2 billion, I decide. And, no back pain...maybe we need tails so our backs don't hurt so much. I bomb down the Lincoln side and think about everyone being kind and gentle and lovely. I think about all the babies being jumbled up and adopted by wonderful parents so everyone cared about everyone and we weren't so isolated. And, nobody asks why. They just live and breathe and love and laugh and they don't worry so much. Now, I'm just pedaling and breathing and so relaxed it feels like I've had three beers, taken a sauna and I'm listening to ocean sounds. Left, right, left, right. My breathing is less inhale/exhale as it is pause/exhale, pause/exhale. Left, right, oh look, dandelions, left, right. Pause/exhale, pause/exhale.

I can't help but appreciate why people engage in these thoughts. I think about my husband is so perfect for me and that he is kind and wonderful and freaking hilarious. I think about all the wonderful cultures and foods we have and how I want to visit all of them.

As I ride home I pass a girl in a pink shirt playing a violin while her little brother sits and watches while holding a toilet plunger. I see a woman wearing shorts and a green t-shirt and walking a very disobedient pitt bull that seems to be having the time of his life. I stop to help a woman who is bent over her bicycle just a few blocks from my house. She smiles and laughs and assures me that she's fine. And, I pull up to my cute little house and think about my life. I put away my bicycle and I think that because of those who came before me, because of my parents, because of feminists, because of modern medicine, my little world with my dog, my cat, my perfect for me husband and our four bicycles...well, it's pretty great.

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