Early in July, Joan and I began to ride a 15 km road all around Halls Lake. The pictures below show the most challenging hill on Braeloch Road that we had to do close to the beginning. There were other hills, but this is the highest.
I began
by weaving in small angles from left to right, all the way up the hill, breathless at the top where Joan was waiting for me. Yesterday, after 2 months, I finally pedalled straight up! The slow building of strength has been agonizing at times, and here
is how I came to yesterday:
Pedalling those hills, I eventually learned to keep my gaze only on the road in front of the wheel. That's it, the secret. I never thought about the climb, or the top of the hill,
or getting anywhere. In a period of days, I began to be surprised as to how quickly I reached the hilltop, and yesterday, for the first time, I pedalled straight up with no weaving.
I learned not only a lesson about biking, but about busy days, a busy
life. Now I have begun focusing only on what I am doing now, coming into the moment, and resting my mind from future plans and demands. It has the same effect: no news to those who practice meditation and mindfulness!