On The Fly

Summer mornings, especially on a holiday weekend, have a special magic. The air is cool, the world quiet, and the day full of possibilities. This July 4th weekend, Lori and I decided to capture a bit of that magic by beating the holiday traffic with an early morning bicycle ride. We went through our usual pre-flight checklist: Stretched out the morning stiffness. Filled the water bottles. Strapped on the helmets. Checked the tires. Three tires passed inspection. The fourth had apparently declared independence. The rear tire on my e-bike was flatter than a Kansas highway. “Well, it looks like we’re not riding today,” Lori said, with the calm acceptance of someone who had already mentally promoted coffee to the day’s main event. “Why not?” I replied. “I’ll ride my old bike.” She gave me that look —the one that safely translates as, "Are you sure about this? " “Absolutely,” I said. “Why not?” I dragged the bike stand out and surveyed my options. One glance at the aggressive gear...

This episode is inspired  by Elton John & Bernie Taupin On Memorial Day, I took my first bike ride  since the accident , seeking proof that my legs, lungs, and nerves still remembered the road. The morning air carried that familiar Southern California mix of ocean haze, exhaust, eucalyptus, and sun-baked asphalt. My tires hummed across pavement I’ve ridden for years. Somewhere between the steady click of the chain and the rhythm of my breathing, Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s The Captain and the Kid found its way into my ears. There’s a strange kind of magic when the cadence of a ride syncs perfectly with a song you know by heart. Suddenly, the music and lyrics stop being background noise and become a lens. And through that lens, the road started talking. I've been cycling on this road some, Can't help feeling I've been showing my friends around. I've seen it grow from next to nothing, To a giant eatin’ up our town. Called up the tealeaves and the tarots, Asked the...

In this episode, Beyond Happiness: How Beauty Unlocks True Joy . . . While pedaling through Southern California's beautiful, golden hills this past weekend, a question gently surfaced: "Why does this feel so good? And why settle for happiness when you can experience something far deeper?" Fifty-five years in the making, this ride was about to offer an answer. At 14, I first discovered the incredible freedom of riding a bicycle—the exhilarating thrill of the wind rushing past me, the soothing rhythm of my breathing, and the beautiful feeling of truly being in the world, not just passing through it. All these years later, I treasure my rides, waking up early on quiet weekends to embrace the morning on two wheels. But today's ride was different. The spring air was clean, calm, and textured with the scent of new blossoms. The mustard plants were in bloom — California’s golden fireworks — and the hills were lit with color, like a living Van Gogh. I could feel happiness bu...

In this episode, The Huckleberry Loop . . . Last week we spoke about a BIG world just waiting to be explored. Well, Christmas week 2021, we extended our exploration while planning for 2022. We loaded up our truck for some vacation time and headed for Tucson, AZ. "Why Tucson?" you ask? The Huckleberry Loop, of course. The Chuck Huckleberry Loop is a system of paved, shared-use paths and short segments of bicycle (bike) lanes connecting the Cañada del Oro, Rillito, Santa Cruz, and Pantano River Parks with Julian Wash and Harrison Road Greenway in Tucson. It totals about 137 miles of beautifully paved pathways. The Loop stretches more than 45 miles north to south and almost 30 miles east to west. Some 70% of the Loop directly follows the banks of five significant watersheds that dominate the Tucson Valley. Since the late 1980s, Tucson has been building this series of bicycle trails in conjunction with flood control waterways that circumnavigate the city. "The Loop" (a...

“Push the tempo, push the tempo, push the tempo” - pounded the rhythmic dance beat 35 minutes into the class. My heart was pounding, my legs ached, continue or quit . . . How do you describe the exhilarating feeling of strength from a workout that pushes you beyond the limits of what you’ve convinced yourself you cannot do? “We’re climbing a hill, add resistance, out of the saddle, Attack, Attack, Attack!” belted the trainer! This little woman is a powerhouse! Whoa - how is this possible, to maintain such a high cadence and still retain the ability to talk? I am impressed ! “Stay in the moment, everything is about right now - focus. As a team we can do this, stay on pace.” The muscles in my legs burned. This was far beyond routine cycling, an explosion of speed and power. Try it - go ahead, challenge yourself, I dare you, Spinning Class . “Back in the saddle, slow down, feel the road, recover.” Once this session starts you’re committed to an hour of what most would consider pu...