On The Fly

In this episode, Patience: the Only First-Class Ticket They say travel broadens the mind. After eight days sailing the Rhône with 140 fellow luxury vacationers, I can confirm it also tests patience , calf strength, buffet strategy, and one's tolerance for people furious that France insists on being French. Don't get me wrong—I adored this trip. The river shimmered like liquid optimism. The villages looked hand-painted. The pastries could negotiate world peace. But somewhere between Ship Horn Hello and Bon Voyage, we'd inadvertently boarded a floating behavioral research study disguised as a holiday. Our ship was less a cruise and more a ferry for the Sailors of Status. Some passengers approached relaxation like yogis. Others treated leisure like a final exam with extra credit. I came to believe certain luxury watches emit ultrasonic signals that only their owners can detect. A frequency calibrated to trigger rapid movement toward any line forming for any reason. I saw more ...

Up the Rhône by Patrick Ball We booked a fine cruise up the Rhône — what a treat! With iPhones, lanyards, and schedules so neat. They promised us peace and a mind that would mend, But each calm beginning had chores at the end! "Now breakfast at seven! At eight, take the view!" At nine, there's a lecture on ' What Tourists Do!' At noon, there's a tasting (you must love the cheese), Then hurry to nap time — as corporate decrees! I followed that plan till my patience ran dry. The Rhône softly chuckled, "Oh my, oh my, my! You've missed half my sparkles, my ripples, my tone— You're busy pretending you've peacefully grown!" So I fired my planner and banished my clock. I tossed my agenda right off the dock! I let the wind tickle my schedule away, and drifted through hours that danced where they may. I chatted with swans, had no notion of when, I'd nibble, or nap, or go roaming again. No Wi-Fi! No meetings! No planning! No fuss! Just me and ...

✨ In this episode. The Unscheduled Life: When "Not Working " Becomes Your Actual Job L'horloge du café est détraquée, le serveur s'en fiche et moi, j'essaie. Somewhere between the third sip of espresso and the second croissant, it occurs to me: doing nothing is the hardest work of all. The question on the table this morning, as I sip this slightly-too-strong French espresso, is deceptively simple: How does one define "vacation"? The conventional answer—an enduring triumph of corporate minimalism—is: "Not Working." But that tidy phrase immediately opens a philosophical can of worms. When is life working , and when is it not ? If the highest measure of vacation is simply the absence of labor, then most of our existence amounts to a relentless, unpaid internship for a job we never applied for. We've been conditioned to believe that life works when it's maximally efficient, tightly scheduled, and aimed at the shimmering horizon of "...

⚓  In this episode,  The Cure for the Common Clock Good morning, fellow travelers. Thank you for joining me, and welcome to Viviers, France—a place where time politely excuses itself and slips out the back door. If you’re like me, you’ve checked your watch (which you forgot to charge, thanks to the sheer absence of urgency on board) and realized that five entire days have quietly dissolved into the Rhône. And what a beautiful vanishing act it is. Forget those frantic Parisian paces—this is a different kind of life. Here, time isn’t measured in deadlines or métro schedules, but in the perfect temperature of your morning coffee and the slow, stately drift of the riverbank. On a Viking longship, time doesn’t fly; it drifts. There are no clocks, no announcements, no bells. It’s a five-star sensory-deprivation tank—except your stateroom is a masterpiece of space engineering and, miraculously, features the mythical 110-Volt outlet. (Fellow Americans, rejoice: you can charge your pho...

In this episode, Pushing the Pause Button: Stepping Off the Treadmill Hello, friends — If you're reading this, I'm already off the grid. Today begins a much-needed vacation, and for the next few weeks, On the Fly is taking a break right along with me. For a long time, my inner voice has said, 'Keep every commitment, no matter what.' That's meant early mornings, long days, and a calendar packed with posts, podcasts, and projects I couldn't seem to say no to. I've been trying to be the tireless workhorse—but that kind of grind doesn't end well. Lately, I've noticed I'm not quite myself—shorter fuse, louder sighs, and a few too many grumbles (Lori deserves a medal). That's when you know it's time to hit pause before the spark burns out. So, I'm stepping back to rest, recharge, and remember what it feels like to not live by the next deadline: no tech, no to-do lists, just some space to breathe. Thank you, truly, for all your support and ...

Podcast - Special Shoes . . . Look down at your feet, right now. What do you see? Are you wearing shoes? You might be wearing slippers, flip flops, running shoes, supple leather dress shoes, or your most comfortable everyday shoes? I’m looking at a pair of brown, soft suede leather, around-town walking shoes. My go-to, most comfortable shoes. As I was putting on my old faithful, everyday shoes to run errands a thought flashed into my mind. “When your shoes wear out you’re simply back on your feet” - right where it all started. It’s said, “A journey of a thousand leagues begins with a single step.” That quote is attributed to Lao-tzu, the ancient Chinese philosopher who wrote the Tao Te Ching, born 604 B.C. Imagine how worn his sandals must have been? But what about today? Your personal journey begins with a single step every day. Just how many pairs of shoes are in your closet, or under the bed? More than you think, I’m sure of it. I see you running off to count them, haha. Where will...

Team BMC 2015 Team BMC wins the team time  trial  by one second in  stage  nine! Ah, Summer! Bicycling magic is renewed for millions when the voices of Phil Liggett, Paul Sherwen, and Bob Roll, grace the television airwaves broadcasting  Le Tour de France   (Le Tour). When you dare to believe you’re an accomplished bicyclist, just tune into the NBC SN Sports broadcast of Le Tour in July ( July 4 - July 26, 2015) . Very quickly humility sets in. To date, the riders in that race have ridden nine grueling stages, with an average distance of 186 kilometers, that’s 115 miles per day. This year is the 102 nd  Anniversary - 21 stages, a total distance of 3,360 kilometers, and only two,  yes two , rest days - of this classic race that tours the French countryside with the finale in Paris on the Champs-Elysées. Dare I say it – Le Tour can inspire even casual riders, take your bicycles from the back shed, dust them off, inflate their tires...

Look down at your feet, right now. What do you see? Are you wearing shoes? You might be wearing slippers, flip flops, running shoes, supple leather dress shoes, or your most comfortable everyday shoes? I’m looking at a pair of brown, soft  suede  leather, around-town walking shoes, they're new. My go-to, most comfortable shoes. As I was putting on my old faithful, worn out, daily shoes to run errands today a thought flashed into my mind. When your shoes wear out you’re simply back on your feet - right where it all started. It’s said, “A journey of a thousand leagues begins with a single step.” That quote is attributed to Lao-tzu, the ancient Chinese philosopher who wrote the Tao Te Ching, born 604 B.C. Imagine how worn his sandals must have been? But what about today? Your personal journey begins with a single step every day. Just how many pairs of shoes are in your closet, or under the bed? More than you think, I’m sure of it. I see you running off to count them, h...

Fignon & LeMond Ah, Summer! Bicycling magic is renewed for millions when the voices of Phil Liggett, Paul Sherwen, and Bob Roll, grace the television airwaves broadcasting Le Tour de France (Le Tour). When you dare to believe you’re an accomplished bicyclist, just tune into the NBCSN Sports broadcast of Le Tour in July. Very quickly humility sets in. To date, the riders in that race have ridden nine grueling stages, with an average distance of 186 kilometers, that’s 115 miles per day. This year is the 102 nd  Anniversary - 21 stages, a total distance of 3,360 kilometers, and only two, yes two , rest days - of this classic race that tours the French countryside with the finale in Paris on the Champs-Elysées. Dare I say it – Le Tour can inspire even casual riders, take your bicycles from the back shed, dust them off, inflate their tires, and hit the streets. It’s amusing to see people pretend, they are in Le Tour, competing for the coveted yellow jersey. It’s summer...

Cruise Compass “Good evening, Patrick and Lori did you have a fabulous day?” says our head waiter AJ as Charles the assistant waiter pours our drinks. “Tonight the chef recommends the lobster tail, we begin with a fresh seafood salad; prawns, shrimp, and mussels. Of course you’re welcome to order anything you like from the menu.” It was formal night, day two of our seven day cruise of Alaska's Inside Passage on Rhapsody of the Seas. No need for the steward to seat us, our table for four was ready and our traveling partners Bill and Linda were already seated. Quickly, we were made to feel like family aboard the ship. The service unprecedented, the food exquisite. We were on our way to the first port of call - Juneau, Alaska. Now, I’m inclined to candid here, a cruise vacation? My first day aboard ship, I’m not to sure about all this. For readers of this blog our vacations always involved; hiking the mountains, bicycling, driving, exploring, and physical activity. Not this ...