LESSONS FROM CYCLING, Part One

It’s been my experience that some of the best lessons come through everyday life. Sometimes the lessons come through our successes and other times they come through our struggles. In this post I want to share with you my Lessons From Cycling. One of my hobbies is road cycling. Not the Harley Davidson type of bike (I’m not that kinda’ cool), but more the Specialized Allez type of bicycle. Think spandex clothing. Second thought, don’t traumatize yourself thinking about a middle age man in tight clothes.

I had my first big bike crash last summer. It was a Sunday morning and I was on a 30-mile ride before church. While riding through the West Salem hills it started lightly raining. Not much, just enough to get the ground wet but not form puddles. I had just crossed over the Willamette River using the Union Street Bridge and I was turning on to Front Street, where there are railroad tracks that run down the middle of the road. You can probably see where this is going. The rails were slightly wet from the summer rain and as my front wheel crossed the second rail it slide into the gap between the rail and the blacktop. The wheel jammed into the gap and the force flipped me over my handlebars and down to the pavement. All of this happened with gravity defying speed. Stunned and somewhat disoriented from my less than graceful three-point landing, I quickly bounced to my feet, in the event someone saw my fall. Thankfully, the church I was riding by already started their gathering so no one was outside. Phew! Other than serious road rash in three places, there were no broken bones, and no damage to my front wheel. I did sprain my ego, but eventually recovered. The lesson I learned on this summer day was this: Even when you’re being careful, accidents still happen. Isn’t that a lot like life? Even when you’re trying to do the right things and make good choices, there are times when life rises up and bites you in the backside. Oh, yeah, I didn’t mention where the road rash was located on my body. J

In my nearly three years and probably 5,000 miles of riding the roads of the Willamette Valley, I’ve learned several lessons I’d like to share with you.

Lesson #1: Understand MOMENTUM

Going uphill and into the wind there’s the temptation to stop peddling.

Going downhill there’s a temptation to want to go even faster, to dominate the downhill!!!

Often times, when we need to be peddling, we want to quit, and when it’s okay to coast and enjoy the ride, we get in a hurry. Make sure you’re allowing the Holy Spirit to set your pace. What I mean is, listen to the Inner Voice that corrects you, directs you, and instructs you. Life is not a sprint, unless you’re planning to die young, so ride [live] accordingly.

Another point, when riding into the wind, cyclists get as low as they can go. This reminds me of the importance of PRAYER. “Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up.” (James 4:10 NIV) NLT = “When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor.” We know how much we’re depending on God by how frequently pray and the content of those prayers.

I my next post I will share Lesson #2: You need to have a plan.