LESSONS ON LIFE YOU LEARN FROM YOUR SEAT

On the long drive home there is a lot of time to reflect on the lessons of life you learn after days and hours on a bike--here they are as best I can do:

1. DON'T WORRY IT WILL CHANGE. If you don't like the direction of the wind, road surface, terrain--don't worry it will change--maybe for the better or for the worse--but--it will change.

2. DON'T JUDGE A CLIMB BY ITS ELEVATION--OR A PERSON BY THEIR OUTWARD APPEARANCE. The easiest climb we had was the 2nd tallest and the hardest climbs were in the Ozarks with only a couple of hundred feet. Well the same goes for the people--you just can not tell their character by outward appearance.

3. YOU WILL GET THERE WHEN YOU GET THERE You can not hurry up the process--you will arrive once you arrive--you might as well enjoy the journey.

4. THE WIND IS NOT ALWAYS IN YOUR FACE. Everyone notices when times are tough and the wind is in your face--but we seem to take for granted when the wind is at our back--we attribute that to our fitness--when in reality the wind is really pushing us along. Maybe we should pay more attention and be thankful for the breeze at our backs more--and worry less about the wind in our face (see #1 & 3 above).

5. HAVING SOMEONE TO RIDE BEHIND IN THE WIND IS REALLY GOOD. As in life when times are tough--having someone to pull you through is as good as it gets.

6. RIDING UPHILL IS SOMETIMES BEST WITH A COMPANION AND SOMETIMES BEST ALONE. How can it be both?? Well that depends on the companion. If you are both evenly matched then you draw strength from each other and you seem to push each other up the hill--if not then the weaker person will struggle more--as in life.

7. CATS MAKE REALLY GOOD ALARM CLOCKS. They are up with the sun--cause they do not want to miss any of the day--so why should we?

8. DON'T BE A YANKEE. In South Carolina where they take being from the south very seriously if someone if rude or inconsiderate they simply say--"well they must be a Yankee". Nuff said.

9. LIFE IS BEST IN SLOW MOTION. Watching every plant go by--talking to every cow along the side of the road is truly wonderful. Why be in a hurry to have life pass you by--time is short you might as well enjoy it and slow it down. Believe me 6 hours on a bike are much longer than 6 hours in a car--and way better.

10. GOD WAS JUST PRACTICING UNTIL HE GOT TO UTAH AND THE GRAND CANYON.
If you have not been there to see what I mean--do it. You will get this--and understand "Be still and know that I am God".